ISO 22000 Audit – How Food Safety Team Prepare for Certification?

The most important job of a Food Safety Team is the food safety audit of ISO 22000. Especially the annual and recertification Food Safety audit of ISO 22000: 2018 is significant. FoodTechSafety combines essential points for the preparation of ISO 22000 Audits.

The Food Safety Team has all the responsibilities to prepare the Food Industry for a food safety audit. Let’s accumulate the most important duties of FST for:

ISO 22000:2018 Audit

• Organize the electronic and hardcopy information needed so that it’s easily accessible during the audit.
• Typical documents to be reviewed include but are not limited to:
• Organizational structure and selected position descriptions| HACCP plans including flow diagrams for product and processes at the time of audit | Food safety and quality management system overview | Supplier approval processes | Specifications for raw materials (ingredients and packaging), work in progress (WIP) and finished products | Product recall protocols | Product recall data | Food defense assessment (TACCP)
• If metal detection is used; requires Metal detector validation.
• The preventative maintenance schedule, records of preventative and breakdown maintenance activities, and maintenance handover and hygiene clearance.
• Product labeling Checklist.
• Allergen management protocols
• Product authenticity (VACCP) and risk assessment
• Product selling protocols
• Calibration Records.
• Training Calendar and training personnel’s
• Review typical records.
• Minutes of management review
• Evidence of HACCP verification activities

Read more: Roles of HACCP Team Members

• Supplier approval audits and approved supplier list.
• Customer complaint data and investigations
• Internal system audits and GMP/hygiene audits
• Test results for utilities including water, ice, steam, compressed air, and gases
• Pest control treatments and/or visit records
• Product results for microbiological, chemical, and physical tests
• Calibration records
• Training records
• Validation records

• Share the compliance responsibilities in your organization; practice your job according to what the Food Safety manual prescribes.
• Encourage supervisors and operators in each area to interact with the auditor to encourage ownership and to upskill the audit process.
• Preparing for any audit challenges, but also provides the opportunity for improvement.

Training for Improved Job Productivity

• Depending on your experience and the standards your organization is certified to, we recommend the following types of training:
  • Internal auditor training
  • HACCP refresh course.
  • Senior management minutes and discussions
  • Allergen management
  • Implementing VACCP and TACCP if any.