Third-Party Audit

FSMA Compliance and Documentation: The Easy Way with MPI’s Magnet Audit

MPI has offered magnet audits to our customers and potential customers for years, but with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) taking effect, there has never been a better time to take advantage of this service. FSMA regulations are cumbersome, tedious, and time-consuming.

Here is a list of procedures required by FSMA, and how MPI’s magnet audit can help:

FSMA Sec 103 Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls Procedure:

1. Hazard Analysis
   Prior to your audit, evaluate what metal hazards could potentially contaminate your product. These hazards are required to be documented by the FSMA. Supply a list of these hazards to MPI, and we will include them in your audit.
2. Preventative Controls
   During the audit, MPI will evaluate your process and review your preventative metal control equipment, including critical control points, and help you determine if your metal control equipment is sufficient to significantly minimize/prevent these hazards.
3. Monitoring Effectiveness
   The most effective way to monitor the effectiveness of your magnets is by conducting pull test to determine their strength. MPI will perform a pull test on every magnet in your facility.
4. Verification
   MPI will verify your existing preventative controls are correct for the application in which they are installed. A trained magnet expert will ensure your magnets can effectively minimize/prevent the occurrence of your identified metal hazards.
5. Documentation
   The magnet systems audit report will serve as documentation to demonstrate your facility has identified potential hazards, implemented preventative controls for these hazards, and is monitoring the preventative controls to ensure they are effective. Your facility should maintain this document for no less than two (2) years.Many of our customers are ahead of the curve, and the documentation we provide with our audit serves as their proof. However, many customers would like a trained metal control expert to give them some direction. MPI will work with you to develop a plan to remedy any metal control systems that need improvement. All magnets identified as candidates for improvement will include recommended actions on our report.

Here’s how these recommendations can help you ensure compliance with the FSMA:

FSMA Sec. 102 Registration of Food Facilities:

Corrective Plan:
(Sec. 102, Pg. 124, STAT. 3888, (3)) – “The secretary shall require the registrant to submit a corrective action plan to demonstrate how the registrant plans to correct the conditions found by the secretary.”If an inspector finds fault with any of your magnets, use MPI’s “Recommended Actions” to help determine your corrective action plan.

Metal Control Audit

To ensure metal detectors and x-ray equipment meet the standards and requirements of our industry and customer base, MPI offers free metal control audits at customer facilities. Audits are conducted by MPI specialists who are specifically trained in the function and viability of electronic inspection equipment.

Prior to visiting the facility, MPI auditors will work with plant employees to develop an audit plan and determine priorities. During the audit, the specialist will physically inspect and validate each piece of electronic inspection equipment in the plant. The auditor will also identify and photograph the equipment. Shortly after the fieldwork is completed, a written report is presented to the customer. The report includes an overview of findings, an evaluation of equipment, and a detailed inspection report. Equipment photographs are used as reference points. The findings are presented formally to plant QA personnel to determine if actions are required.

Magnet Certification

To ensure magnetic separators meet the standards and requirements of our industry and customer base, MPI offers free magnet audits and magnet certification at your facility.

Audits are conducted by MPI specialists who are specifically trained at appraisal, function and viability of magnetic equipment. MPI audits serve as HACCP documentation as well as meet plant requirements for QA standards.

Prior to visiting the facility, MPI auditors will work with plant employees to develop an audit plan and determine priorities. During the audit, the specialist will physically inspect and measure the effective strength of each magnetic separator in the plant. The auditor will also identify and photograph the equipment. Shortly after the fieldwork is completed, a written report is presented to the customer. The report includes an overview of findings, an evaluation of equipment, and a detailed inspection report. Equipment photographs are used as reference points. The findings are presented formally to plant QA personnel to determine if actions are required.