Sampling: Product for verification of quality (grade; size; maturity)
The following procedures should be applied when sampling product (packaged, or bulk, where applicable) for Lot Verification. Failure to follow the procedures may result in the assessment of a non-conformity.
- Samples of product must be selected at random from the lot or shipment, and must represent the lot or shipment.
- Where a shipment consists of multiple lots, samples from each lot must be selected based upon the proportion of each lot in the total shipment.
- Before selecting a sample, decide where you are going to take it from.
- For example, select a package in the 3rd row, 4th layer of the 7th pallet. The next sample might be taken from the 1st row, 2nd layer of the 4th pallet and so on.
- All parts of the lot should be sampled equally regardless of the difficulty in reaching more inaccessible layers.
- Sampling cannot be complete, nor C-PIQ Export Document issued until lot is fully prepared.
- It is important when randomly choosing samples not to be drawn to a package that is different from the rest. It may have a wet spot, may be crushed or may have some other outstanding feature which draws it to their attention. Be careful not to give these packages more or less attention than they deserve relative to their proportion in the lot.
- Packages that appear to be obviously different from others should be segregated from the lot, and examined separately.
- The Sampling Plan represents the "minimum" number of samples which must be examined. Additional samples should be examined where:
- After examining the minimum number of samples, the lot of produce is slightly under or over the permitted tolerance; or
- There appears to be a large variation, between samples, of size or defects.
CFIA Sampling plan
(Mandatory sampling plan to be followed for all prepacked/graded incoming lots and all out-going lots which have not gone through the In-Line Verification System that are intended for inclusion on a C-PIQ Export Document)
1. General sampling plan
| No. of packages in lot | Sample size |
|---|---|
| 1-50 | 2 |
| 51-100 | 3 |
| 101-200 | 4 |
| 201-350 | 6 |
| 351-500 | 8 |
| 501-750 | 10 |
| 751-1,200 | 12 |
| 1,201-2,000 | 15 |
| 2,001-3,500 | 20 |
| 3,501-5,000 | 25 |
| 5,001-10,000 | 32 |
| 10,001-20,000 | 40 |
| 20,001-40,000 | 50 |
| 40,001 and up | 60 |
2. Master containers sampling plan
The number of master containers to be examined will be based upon the sampling plan in Table 1. The number of packages to be examined in each master container will be:| No. of packages per master container | No. of samples |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1 |
| 5 to 12 | 2 |
| 13 to 19 | 3 |
| 20 to 36 | 5 |
| 37 to 50 | 10 |
3. Sampling of bulk shipments
Sampling bulk (Tote bins or sacks)
Sampling of bulk bins or sacks is performed in the following manner:- Assume the total weight of all bins or sacks in the lot is packed in 50 lb bags;
- Each sample should be drawn from a different bin or sack;
- As much as possible, effort must be made to "dig" down into the bin or sack; not just top sample.
Example:
Total weight of load = 50,000 lbs.
Divide total weight by 50 lbs. = 1000
No. of bins in lot = 15
No. of bins to sample = 12 (1000 packages require 12 samples as per Table 1 of Sampling Plan)
No. of 50 lb samples = 12*
*Randomly choose 12 out of the 15 bulk bins to take your twelve 50 lb samples
No. of pounds required: 12 x 50 = 600 lbs.
(a 20 lb sub-sample may be selected from the 50 lb sample; therefore, total weight of product examined = 12 x 20 lb = 240 pounds)
Or
Example:
Total weight of load = 50,000 lbs.
Divide total weight by 50 lbs. = 1000
No. of bins to sample = 12
No. of 50 specimen samples required (1 from each bin) = 12
Total No. of specimens examined: 12 x 50 = 600 specimens