The quality of PiLeJe products

Interview with Aurélia Thoueil, product quality manager with PiLeJe

Procedures, specifications, analyses, audits of manufacturers, supervision of the correct storage conditions… the standards are strict and rigorous.

What is the role of product quality at PiLeJe ? 

Our department checks product conformity in relation to the requirements set during the development phase. It is laid down in the quality specifications and controlled through checks made on products and through manufacturer audits. 

What are quality specifications ?

The quality specifications cover a number of elements in relation to the product :
- its formulation 
- its labelling
- all the quality criteria laid down during the development phase, for example : the particular proportion of vitamins and minerals, the viability rate of the strain if it is a probiotic, the peroxide index if it is an oil, etc
- the technical specifications for all the raw materials that go in to the product. They contain the origin of the ingredients, the storage conditions, their description, etc
- the results of tests proving the absence of GMOs or contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals, dioxine, etc) in the raw materials.
- The results for allergens (soya, lactose, etc).

What controls are completed before a product is placed on the market ?

Before a product is placed on the market it undergoes numerous controls (“self” controls since we carry them out voluntarily). Most are entrusted to external laboratories.

Some are more particularly aimed at ensuring the quality of the products manufactured and in particular their conformity with the specifications. This is for example the case with :

- organoleptic controls that consist of tasting, smelling and checking the appearance of a batch. The samples tested are then stored in a sample library. 
- physico-chemical controls that check :
- the dose of vitamins and minerals
- the viability of the strains and the water activity (Aw) for the probiotics
- the peroxide index for oils 
- the gluten in products that claim to be gluten free 
- checks of raw material analysis reports 
- checks on manufacturing dossiers provided by the manufacturer which make it possible to guarantee product traceability and ensure the formula has been followed.
Other controls focus more on ensuring product safety. For example :
- microbiological tests looking for pathogens
- toxicity studies conducted in addition on new products. 

When all these results have been received we conduct a documentary analysis. If everything complies with the specifications, we can release the product. It is then put on the market. If not, we open a non-compliance dossier that may lead to a batch being refused.

How are the supplier audits conducted ?

There are now around twenty companies involved in manufacturing our products. Once a year we carry out an audit on each one. It is an opportunity for us to visit the factories, see how they manage batch refusals, look at the processes put in place to meet our quality requirements and evaluate their particular quality systems.

A report is drawn up for every audit. When necessary we include recommendations aimed at continually improving the quality of our products. The manufacturer then agrees in writing to implement them. During the audit the following year we check that the undertakings given by the manufacturer have been honored.