Introduction:
As an FSSAI-recognised agency, Dr. Amin Controllers Private Limited Commodity – Food Safety Audit Division has perfected the practice of conducting Food Safety Audits for multiple businesses, in a variety of sectors. Being in the food testing and inspection industry for more than 7 decades, we have a detailed understanding of essential regulatory compliances. Along with Food Safety Auditing, we also provide Chemical & Wet analysis, Water testing, Residual & Pesticide testing and Microbiology testing. Our laboratories are capable of conducting testing for 500+ products across 3500+ parameters, led by a team of 50+ trained and qualified professionals. Today, we’re taking a look into Food Safety Audit, its importance, and how it can benefit your manufacturing business.
What exactly is Food Safety Auditing?
It is a methodical evaluation to confirm that food business operations of food supply chain satisfy specified safety and quality measures (by controlling various hazards). These audits include a comprehensive review of production process, hygiene practices, sanitation of necessary equipment, and general adherence to food safety regulations. Food safety audits can be conducted internally or externally. We’re here to tell you about external/third-party audits.
Determining the Focus Areas of the Audit
Let’s take a look at some key areas of focus in a food safety audit:
– Examining the cleanliness & sanitation of the food premise and food processing equipment, ensuring the environment minimizes the risk of cross contamination.
– Inspecting the maintenance of equipment and utensils used for the production process, verifying working conditions and proper sanitation.
– Assessing the sourcing, handling, and storage of raw materials and ingredients, making sure that they are of the highest quality and free from all contaminants.
– Reviewing the steps of the process flow, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, including monitoring critical control points & verifying the effectiveness of control measures.
– Observing the hygiene practices of food handlers, making sure that they are aware about food safety and follow the best practices and prevent contamination.
– Examining the packing, storage and distribution conditions for finished products and verifying storage temperatures, packaging integrity, and appropriate transportation methods are used to maintain safety and quality.
– Reviewing the measures set in place for pest control and the effectiveness of pest control programs.
– Assessing whether waste is handled properly, their storage, and disposal methods that prevent contamination.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A FOOD SAFETY AUDIT
Here are some insider tips on how you can best prepare before a food safety audit is implemented:
– Schedule regular meetings discussing food safety subjects, while establishing channels for employees to provide feedback on current practices and where improvements can be made.
– Inform the organisation about the latest trends, regulations, and technologies related to food safety. Encourage training programs, fostering a deeper understanding of food safety practices within the organisation.
– Enforce stringent cleaning schedules every day, for all areas of the establishment. Schedule deep cleaning sessions, focused on areas of the facility which are usually more difficult to reach.
– Verify the effectiveness of current cleaning methods by using swab tests to ensure that all surfaces meet cleanliness standards.
– Make sure that all equipment repairs and maintenance activities are recorded in a daily log. This documentation can be highly beneficial for the purposes of an audit.
– Implement a program for proper waste handling and preventive pest control.
– Ensure air quality is being monitored to prevent airborne particles from causing contamination, with the help of air quality testing.
– Conduct regular water testing and water treatment system maintenance, to check the safety levels of the water being used.
BENEFITS OF FOOD SAFETY AUDITING
The process of conducting a food safety audit enhances your operations and also contributes immensely to overall success. Here are a number of ways in which your business can benefit:
Regulatory Compliance:
For Food Business Operators (FBOs), it is essential to ensure that your business complies with regulations set on local, national, and international levels. With the help of an audit, you can guarantee compliance, which in turn reduces the risk of incurring legal penalties, and eliminates the need for product recalls.
Safety of Consumers:
Maintaining the safety of food products is crucial as it aids in protecting the health of customers from illnesses spread through food and food contamination. Periodic food safety audits aid in the identification of potential hazardous practices and assist in the implementation of preventive measures to continue safeguarding your food products.
Quality Assessment:
Conducting a food safety audit helps in maintaining premium standards of food and ensuring quality control throughout the food supply chain. The audit ensures that your products meet the established quality criteria set by FSSAI and other regulatory bodies, which is vital in maintaining a good brand reputation and guaranteeing the satisfaction of your consumers.
Risk Reduction:
A key element of a food safety audit is its ability to identify and mitigate risks in the manufacturing process and food supply chain. This helps to uncover any potential weaknesses of your business and allows for proactive measures to be set in place, preventing any issues from occurring in the future.
Continual Improvement:
With the beneficial feedback gained from audits on the existing practices of the business, it becomes easier to highlight areas which require improvement. This chain reaction of assessment and improvement boosts performance and productivity levels, paving the way for innovations in food safety management.
Market Accessibility:
When it comes to international markets and retailers, many of them require FBOs to possess certain certifications declaring their business meets the official food safety standards. Routine scheduling of audits enables manufacturers to meet and satisfy these requirements. This further helps your business by facilitating its entry into the global market and allows for expansion, as well.
CONCLUSION
As an FBO, no matter the specific food industry that you operate in, it is crucial for you to conduct a Food Safety Audit in your organisation. The FSSAI has mandated Food business operators to get their audits done by either established bodies or by third-party agencies. Being a third-party agency recognized by the FSSAI, we’re well-versed in implementing food safety audits. We understand the essential factors that go into an audit, and guide you through every step of the process, so you can rest assured. It is critical to choose a food safety audit experts, and Dr. Amin Controllers Private Limited is a leading choice for you. Ensure consumer confidence and regulatory compliance with India’s leading NABCB -accredited and FSSAI recognized agency. Get your Food Safety Audit done with us today!