Quality Assurance Stephen Cater, Ph. D Director, Quality Assurance Trade Symposium May 27, 2016
QA Requirements Sensory Agenda Labelling Laboratory Testing Organic Update Packaging
Quality Assurance Requirements for Beverage Alcohol in Ontario
Why We Test LCBO: importer of record is responsible for the quality and safety of the products it sells FDA & Regulations of Canada
Legislation Food & Drugs Act & Reg s Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act & Reg s Ontario Liquor License Act & Liquor Control Act
Corporate Social Responsibility
Role of LCBO QA Ensure products offered for sale are: Of Sound Quality Authentic and Safe to Consume Compliant with Applicable Regulations
LCBO QA Quality Management System
LCBO CoAs
LCBO CoAs Valid for one year from issue date Cost is charged to supplier Accepted internationally Can be used to export Canadian products into other countries
Industry Advisor/ Affiliations LCBO QA monitors and works with many regulators and industry groups to be aware of emerging issues Helps determine chemicals that require testing and maximum allowable limits
Regulatory Partners Police Services Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Border Services Agency Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
Sensory Evaluation
Sensory Method Score Final Score: 14.4 (20-point scale) Characteristics & Attributes Appearance & Colour Excellent 5 Very Good Grading Categories Good Satisfactory Unsatisfact. Comments Aroma & Bouquet Correctness Intensity Quality 6 7 11 Taste Correctness Intensity Finish Quality 6 7 15 5 72 Harmony 10
Sensory Results 20.0 Score 13.0 13 Acceptable Sensory Quality Unacceptable Sensory Quality Score & Reasons for Rejection Score Method Output
Laboratory Confirmation Not a confirmation of sensory findings May determine presence of a fault but not sensory acceptability Sensory faults are usually the result of more than one chemical compound The combination of compound, intensity and ratio makes the fault Same compounds, same intensities and ratios may be sensorially acceptable in one wine but not in another
Sensory Evaluation Most issues screened at NISS stage Existing productsoccasional quality issues such as sediment, sulphur
Labelling
Label Review Mandatory Federal Requirements Bilingual- English/French Common name (e.g. wine/vin) Net quantity (e.g. 750 ml) Alcohol declaration (e.g. 13% alc./vol.) Country of origin (wines and brandies) Dealer name and address (Eng or Fr) Ingredient list (non-standardized) Allergens and Claims
Steve s 2013 Merlot Wine/vin 750 ml 13.5% alc./vol. Product of Canada/Produit du Canada contains sulphites/contient des sulfites Steve s Winery, Toronto, ON
Labelling Process NISS: electronic Shipments: reviewed at warehouse and on lab bottle Specialty Services: reviewed on lab bottle
Labelling Failures NISS: Supplier can correct prior to shipment Shipment: QA will resticker and charge back the supplier
Labelling Issues Bilingual Sulphite Alcohol deviation Organic Net qty Boxes
Laboratory Testing
What do we test? All products offered for sale/imported by LCBO require testing. LCBO: NISS, GP, Vintages Specialty Services Products of World- boutique, e-com Grocery E-Commerce
Alcohol Testing Alcohol level is tested on all products Actual alcohol must be within required tolerance Product Tolerance Spirit ± 0.3% Beer ± 0.5% Fortified Wine ± 0.5% Wine ± 1%
Contaminants Testing Heavy metals- arsenic, lead, cadmium, cobalt, copper Pesticide residues Methanol Ethyl carbamate (EC) Illegal additives, e.g. isopropanol
Preservatives & Additives Sulphites- free and total SO 2 Sorbic acid Synthetic dyes
Wine Properties Testing Volatile Acidity Total Reducing Sugars Total Acidity Sweetness Descriptor
Caffeine Caffeine in beverage alcohol gives consumers false sense of physical and mental competence and decreased awareness of impairment LCBO Limit: 30mg/serving Several products have been reformulated to meet LCBO limits
Lab Failures % Lab Rejected 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16
Breakdown of 2014-2015 Rejected Tests Tamper, 1.9% Sediment, 2.3% Bar Code, 2.6% Other, 3.0% Organic, 8.8% Label, 29.6% Allergen, 23.4% Chemical, 12.4% Alc Dev, 16.0%
Failed Products New listings that fail chemical issuenot ordered New products that fail chemical issue- not sold Chemical failures of existing products may: Recall of the product Return to vendor Destroy
Chemical Issues with Products Ethyl Carbamate (fortified wines, bourbon) Heavy metals (Copper, Arsenic, Lead) Sulphites Volatile acidity Synthetic dyes
Organic Update
Organic Must meet Canadian Organic Standard for 2009 and later CFIA accepted equivalents Must indicate organic along with certifying agency
Steve s 2013 Merlot Wine/vin 750 ml 13.5% alc./vol. Product of Canada/Produit du Canada contains sulphites/contient des sulfites Steve s Winery, Toronto, ON Certified Organic/Biologique by Len s Organics.
Organic EU Organic Wine Standardaccepted by CFIA in April, 2016
Packaging Requirements
Packaging Automated warehouses Case weight max 18.9 kg Carton Requirements Material Dimensions Burst strength or ECT SCCs Floor loaded, no slip sheets or pallets Pallets, 48 x 40, high density wood
Pilot Program Imported specialty services loads Some loads from Italy being piloted as palletized loads for non-durham warehouses
Pallets LCBO pallet specs issued Block and stringer pallets PECO now available as additional pallet source, along with CHEP
Issues with Products? Packaging Carton specs (vertically challenged) Wooden boxes wrapped in plastic Case weight (18.9 kg max) Lightweight glass (96% compliance rate) Pallets (continental North America) Anti-skid (continental North America)
Shrink Wrapped Trays Concern with compliance on many SKUs Letter to all agents issued Auto-debiting of warehoused inventory found leaking, e.g. cans
Vintages Release Carton Compliance 15% Compliant 85% Non-compliant
Vintages Release Cartons 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 % Non-compliant Reasons Carton SCC Markings Partitions
LCBO Guidelines In Product Packaging Standards and Guidelines for Chemical Analysis Based on Food and Drug Regulations and LCBO requirements Posted on TRO: http://www.doingbusinesswithlcbo.co m/tro/packaging- Quality/ProductPackagingStandards.s html
Questions? stephen.cater@lcbo.com
Thank you