SQFI

Glossary - Edition 10

This glossary contains terms that are used throughout SQF Codes, guidance documents, tip sheets, checklists and more. Please refer to them for clarification.

The below is applicable to Edition 10 and posted March, 2026.
Translations are provided as a service to SQF customers and are provided "as is." No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, or correctness of any translations made from English into any other language.

Deviation

Feb 19, 2026, 18:01
Title : Deviation

A non-conformity raised against the SQF Quality Code. Deviations are graded as follows:

  • A minor quality deviation is an omission or deficiency in the quality system that produces unsatisfactory conditions that if not addressed may lead to a quality threat but not likely to cause a system element breakdown.

  • A major quality deviation is an omission or deficiency in the quality system producing unsatisfactory conditions that carry a significant quality threat and are likely to result in a system element breakdown. No critical deviations are raised at a quality systems audit.

Deviation may also apply to a non-conforming finding in food safety.

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