Florida Cultivation Operation Ordered to Recall Products Due to Mold
What is Aspergillosis? Aspergillosis is an infection or allergic reaction caused by Aspergillus, a common mold (a type of fungus) that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick.
Surterra Wellness, owned by Alpha Foliage, was ordered to recall the product Granddaddy Purple Whole Flower after it tested well above the admissible limit of Aspergillus. Per the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention high levels of Aspergillus can cause aspergillosis in people with weakened immune systems or lung diseases — an infection that can lead to serious allergic reactions — as well as secondary infections in the lungs and other organs
Now you have a recall situation, if you had one are you prepared? Do you have a recall plan or even perform mock recalls within your cannabis or hemp business?
Here are 5 tips for creating a product recall strategy:
- Establish a product safety committee.
This can be a group within the company that is made up of personnel from different roles within the company. The group helps with creating quality control policies, auditing product safety protocols, and making recommendations to management. - Create a company recall plan or policy.
This should include detailed procedures that outline what do do if you get a call from the regulatory body, or even self-reporting issues that have been found in the quality of operations. It is also important to designate the responsibility of authorizing the recall and the roles that are played during it. - Establish a recall notification procedure.
Notifying customers, distributors, and even local and state authorities of the issue. Also develop a plan for making statements on your website and or social media about the issue. Determine what if any actions that customers should take if they have a product that falls within the recall. - Establish production protocols.
Establish procedures for stopping the production, shipment, and sales of the recalled product. The quality team or designated personnel should complete a risk assessment to determine if certain processes or procedures need to be revised. - Establish a recordkeeping system.
Record keeping of your cultivation and processing practices are critical. Tracking and tracing each component of raw materials that you use, along with any quality or safety checks throughout the process. Do you have a product material list, was the recall caused by one of the raw materials that you use? Include as much information as possible, including:
- Strain type, quantity and seed to sale tracking number of products manufactured or grown on specific dates
- All Materials used and identities of suppliers and contractors
- Batches, processes, and product changes
- Additional records required by regulating authorities
Finally, to ensure it’s ready to use, put your recall program through a mock drill. No company looks forward to a recall of its products, but by being prepared, you’ll be better able to protect your customers and your company’s reputation. Don’t hide from the problems, be upfront, and truthful with your customers. Don’t be afraid to state that you are changing processes.
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