Which of the following statements about the pre-shipment review is true?

• A. It can only be signed once product has left the establishment and entered commerce
• B. It falls under the "monitoring" HACCP regulatory requirement
• C. Once the pre-shipment review is signed, product is considered "produced and shipped"
• D. Establishments must perform it exactly as prescribed in the regulations

Answer: (C)

Pre-shipment review is the official clearance step that confirms a batch has been produced in accordance with the applicable requirements and is authorized to move toward shipment. When that review is signed, it marks the lot as produced and shipped, meaning production is complete and the product has been cleared for shipment under the program. It’s the formal status that allows the product to proceed through the shipping process.

This framing makes the statement that “once the pre-shipment review is signed, product is considered ‘produced and shipped’” the best fit. The other choices aren’t accurate: the review isn’t limited to after the product leaves the establishment, since it serves as the authorization to ship rather than as a post-departure check; it isn’t about HACCP monitoring requirements, which are separate from shipment clearance; and while compliance with regulations is required, insisting that the review must be performed exactly as prescribed doesn’t capture the essential purpose and status the signing conveys.