Food traceabilityLabels and stock
Date reviews: record the decision basis instead of silently changing labels
A date-review record should identify the product or batch, existing information, reason for review and authorised outcome. It should not allow a convenient software edit to imply a justified extension or a new product history.
At a glance
A date-review record should identify the product or batch, existing information, reason for review and authorised outcome. It should not allow a convenient software edit to imply a justified extension or a new product history.
Define the decision behind the record
Define which roles may assess date-related questions and what information they need. Keep use, storage and production records connected where relevant. Do not generate a universal extension rule from a product category name.
Record the basis of the decision without erasing the original date
Identify the physical product, lot and original date information before reviewing it. Define the reason for review and who is authorised to assess the relevant evidence under the applicable procedure. A record form should not suggest that changing a label is a method of establishing a new shelf life.
Keep the original information and the assessment evidence separate from the eventual decision. Record any affected quantity and location and preserve restrictions while the review remains unresolved. Where a new label is issued, link it to the authorised decision and its scope rather than simply replacing the earlier date field.
Test historical retrieval and a partial disposition. Another reviewer should understand which stock the decision covered and why, including what remained unchanged or unresolved. A normal-looking product, a new container or an equipment reading should not be silently converted into a date extension without the required decision basis.
Worked example
A supervisor reviews stock carrying unclear date information. The team gathers the source records and documents the responsible assessment under the site procedure. Any permitted correction is traceable, while unresolved identity or evidence remains visible.
Build a usable record
Use the fields below to capture the facts needed for this particular decision. Keep the actual observation separate from any later correction or approval.
- Product and batch reference
- Existing date information
- Reason and evidence reviewed
- Authorised decision
- Label or stock updates
Example record and review decision
Fictional record example: REVIEW-03: product and lot, original date, reason for review, authorised evidence and final disposition.
Keep the original information and the decision basis visible. A record review does not itself justify extending a date.
Never infer a new shelf life merely from a new container, a changed label or a normal-looking product.
Test the review, not just the form
Compare the physical label, stock record and review decision. Another person should understand the basis of any correction without relying on a verbal explanation. Test permissions so an ordinary stock adjustment cannot silently rewrite controlled information.
A few useful answers
Can software decide to extend a product date?
Do not infer that from an editable field. The responsible assessment must follow the applicable approved process and requirements.
Does a new container justify a later date?
The container change alone does not establish that conclusion. Preserve product history and the authorised basis for any date information under the applicable procedure rather than treating relabelling as evidence of a new shelf life.
Sources and further reading
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