Third-party audits are seen as a crucial component for food organizations today, meeting customer or corporate requirements, while providing them transparency and assurance. Unfortunately, just the mention of an audit is enough to stress some people.
Instead, an audit should be seen as an opportunity to demonstrate that a plant is in control of its processes. It’s a chance to verify that what you say you do is actually happening, while ensuring that food safety is embedded in the company culture and that safe food can be produced and arrive safely to the retailer and consumer. Maintenance of an effective cold chain is key to food safety. Ensuring effective HACCP implementation, temperature controls, contamination prevention, and good hygiene practices are all key factors to be assessed in an independent food safety audit.