๐Ÿ“ Auckland, New Zealand โœ‰ info@foodverification.co.nz ๐Ÿ“ž 0221281203
New Zealand-wide service Free Initial Guidance โ†’

Product Issue Investigation

Access Food Verification & Auditing Limited provides practical product issue investigation support for New Zealand food businesses. We can help identify possible causes of food safety, quality, shelf life, environmental contamination or customer complaint issues and provide practical corrective action recommendations.

What Types of Product Issues We Can Help With

  • Product spoilage or mould
  • Microbial concerns
  • Texture, odour, taste or appearance issues
  • Packaging concerns
  • Shelf life failures
  • Customer complaints
  • Recurring product quality issues
  • Environmental contamination concerns, including Listeria
  • Foreign material complaints

Our Investigation Process

  1. Initial discussion โ€” review of the issue, product, process and complaint information
  2. Review of records, processing environment and potential contributing factors
  3. Site visit where required to review the production environment, equipment, cleaning and staff practices
  4. Sampling plan development and laboratory coordination where testing is required
  5. Corrective action recommendations
  6. Investigation summary and root cause report

Listeria Investigation Support

We can support Listeria investigation by reviewing the affected area, possible harbourage points, cleaning and sanitation practices, drains, floors, equipment, staff movement, environmental monitoring history and follow-up swabbing plans.

It is not always possible to guarantee that the exact source will be found. The aim is to identify possible sources, likely contributing factors and practical corrective actions to reduce recurrence risk.

Important Note on Recall Decisions

We can help gather information, review evidence and support risk assessment preparation. Food businesses should notify their verifier or New Zealand Food Safety where required and follow applicable recall guidance.

Need Help Investigating a Product Issue?

Contact us today for free initial guidance. We can help you understand what may need to be reviewed and the best next step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

What is product issue investigation?
Product issue investigation helps identify possible causes of food safety, quality, shelf-life, environmental contamination or customer complaint issues.
What types of product issues can you help with?
We can help with spoilage, mould, microbial concerns, texture issues, odour, taste, appearance, packaging concerns, shelf-life failures, customer complaints and recurring quality issues.
Can you visit our site to investigate?
Yes. Where required, onsite investigation can be used to review the production environment, equipment, cleaning, records, product flow, staff practices and potential contributing factors.
Can you help with Listeria detection in the processing environment?
Yes. We can support Listeria investigation by reviewing the affected area, possible harbourage points, cleaning and sanitation practices, drains, floors, equipment, staff movement, environmental monitoring history and follow-up swabbing plans.
Do you guarantee that the source will be found?
No. It is not always possible to guarantee that the exact source will be found. The aim is to identify possible sources, likely contributing factors and practical corrective actions to reduce recurrence risk.
Can you coordinate laboratory testing?
Yes. We can support sampling plans and coordinate with accredited laboratories where testing is required. We can also help review and interpret laboratory results.
Can you help prepare an investigation report?
Yes. We can support documentation, investigation summaries, root cause analysis and corrective action recommendations.