Auditing
It is part of the management's responsibility to manage food safety. To discharge this responsibility, it is necessary to continually monitor that all the requirements to ensure food safety are being complied with. This monitoring can best be done by use of a checklist.
Potential hazards:
Without regular checking, it is possible that some of the requirements to assure food safety may not be complied with. This would result in food safety being put at risk.
Periodic Audits must be done:
Where there is a change to the equipment, the product or the process, a full or partial internal audit must be carried out to determine if any changes are required to the Food Safety Management System. This would include the prerequisite programme and the HACCP plan.
Auditing must be carried out at the frequency defined in the appropriate standard. The audit process, including the schedule, must be based on the results of the previous audits and on what is necessary to assure food safety
Where it is found in an audit that a requirement is not being complied with, it is the responsibility of management to record this fact on their checklist or elsewhere and to document the action (Corrective Action) taken to rectify the situation.
Internal audits can be carried out by a member of staff. However annual audits/infrequent verification may be carried out by a suitably qualified person.
Attached below is premises audit checklist for use in food business.