SOP – Receiving Raw Materials
Everything that goes wrong later usually started at the goods-in door. This SOP turns receiving from a quick signature into a proper gate: what to check, what temperatures to expect, and when to say no to a delivery.
SOPs only work if people actually read them. Train each operator, get the read-and-understood signature, and keep the language as plain as the job allows – this isn’t the place to show off vocabulary.
1. Document control
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Document title | SOP – Receiving Raw Materials |
| Document no. | [QA-SOP-001] |
| Version | [1.0] |
| Effective date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Prepared by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Approved by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Review date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
2. Purpose
To ensure only conforming raw materials, ingredients and packaging enter the site.
3. Scope
Applies to all incoming deliveries of food materials and food-contact packaging at [site name].
4. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Goods receiver | Performs the checks in this SOP and completes the receiving log. |
| QA / Supervisor | Assesses borderline or failed deliveries; authorizes rejection or hold. |
| Purchasing | Follows up rejections with the supplier. |
5. Materials and equipment
- Calibrated probe thermometer
- Receiving log / checklist
- Approved supplier list and material specifications
- Hold labels and rejection forms
- Torch for inspecting vehicle interiors
6. Safety precautions
- Wear hi-vis and safety footwear in the yard and dock area.
- Never enter a vehicle trailer that is being loaded or unloaded by forklift.
- Report damaged packaging that may hide sharp edges or leaks.
7. Procedure
Follow the steps in order. Steps marked [CHECK] are the ones people skip under pressure – don’t.
- Check the delivery against the purchase order: supplier, product, quantity and lot codes. [CHECK]
- Inspect the vehicle: clean, dry, odour-free, no signs of pests, and at the right temperature for the load. Reject unsuitable vehicles.
- Check packaging integrity: no damage, no infestation, no leaking, correct labelling.
- Measure temperatures of chilled (≤5 °C) and frozen (≤-18 °C, hard frozen) goods with the probe thermometer; record results. [CHECK]
- Verify date marks and shelf life remaining meet the specification minimum.
- For materials requiring a certificate of analysis, confirm the COA is present and matches the lot.
- Label every accepted lot with its internal lot code before it leaves the dock.
- Move accepted goods to the correct storage area promptly – chilled and frozen first.
- Quarantine anything non-conforming with a hold label; complete the log and notify QA. Do not ‘just put it away and decide later’.
8. Records
- Receiving log (temperatures, checks, decisions)
- Hold and rejection records
- COAs filed by lot
- Vehicle rejection log
9. Revision history
| Version | Date | Change description | Changed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | Initial issue | [Name] |
Approval and control
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepared by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Reviewed by (QA) | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Approved by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
Keep completed forms for [Define retention period, e.g., 2 years beyond shelf life] at [defined location] – and make sure someone besides you knows where that is.