Audit

An audit is a structured activity whereby a trained individual checks for evidence that a standard is being complied with. The trained individual (auditor) will collect evidence to support their conclusion in regard to the level of compliance and overall result of the audit. This applies to auditing in general and also where an audit is focused on food safety.

Audits are a means of ensuring your food safety system is producing safe and suitable food, meeting its regulatory requirements and the standards that your customers demand.

Food Safety Auditing is an extremely important aspect and best understood after we have a clear understanding of Food Safety. It is a concept that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use. Food safety is related to the occurrence of food safety hazards and does not include other human health aspects for eg. malnutrition.

Food Control, the next important aspect is a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement by national and/or local authorities to provide consumer protection. Thus ensuring that all foods during production, handling, storage, processing, and distribution are safe, wholesome and fit for human consumption. Further they conform to safety and quality requirements; and are honestly and accurately labeled as prescribed by law.

There are many globally accepted standards available for Food Safety Management Systems. BRCGS Food Safety, FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, SQF 2000 and few more. Most of the requirements are common across these standards and all cover HACCP Food Safety Plan.

Unlike other compliance audits which cover statutory financial and governance, food safety audits require various combination skills. These skills are required to effectively audit or assess the risk and status of all the steps involved in handling, storage, processing and despatch of food products.

To conduct a food safety audit, one has to have apt experience and working knowledge of management processes. Further one needs to cover all related aspects of products handled on site, since each product category has its own specific and unique attributes, hazards and risks.

Food safety auditors do not simply tick a checklist. It is a challenging field and to become an effective, fair and valuable auditor it does require time, dedication, experience, knowledge, education and effective communication skills.

With increase in recalls and rejections in this dynamic food industry, all responsible organizations are protecting their brand image. They are gaining customer confidence by way of auditing to effectively ensure both compliance and improvement in standards.

A food safety audit focuses specifically on requirements, criteria, procedures, activities and data relating to the safe production and supply of food products. Following are the basic areas covered in Food Safety Audits. Details can vary as per the chosen standard by an organization: