A supplier a food business has assessed and accepts as reliable for delivering safe, traceable ingredients.
An approved supplier is one a food business has assessed and accepts as reliable for supplying safe food and ingredients with adequate traceability.
Because the safety of finished food depends on the raw materials, using assessed suppliers manages risk at the start of the food chain and supports traceability.
Whether the supplier is a registered or licensed food business, delivers at correct temperatures, provides product information and has a reliable track record.
Supplier control is not a single defined term for every business in the Code, but it is expected as part of food safety management for higher-risk operations and supports traceability obligations.
Good supplier records let a business quickly trace where affected food came from and identify which stock is involved, so it can act fast.