Hygiene Audits

What is a food safety audit?

During the food production process there are many stages when the product could become contaminated and result in harm for end customers. A food safety audit gives food retailers, restaurants and other operators confidence that safety and hygienic practices in food processing have been followed throughout the supply chain. Food safety audit companies provide testing and inspection services of food processing facilities to ensure they maintain high standards.

Why is a food hygiene audit important?

A food hygiene audit or food safety audit provides a comprehensive inspection of a food processing facility to evaluate its compliance with established food hygiene and safety standards, as well as a company’s specific hygiene policies and practices. A food safety audit reduces the risk of unsafe food reaching consumers, decreases costly product recalls and fosters a positive reputation for your company.

TÜV SÜD is a leading food safety auditing company

TÜV SÜD is an independent food safety certification body which is accredited to globally recognised standards. Our experienced food safety auditors can help you gain the trust of your customers by making sure that your products and processes meet international standards.

Our food safety audit services help you minimise risk as our experts support your project throughout the entire product development process to reduce the risk of product contamination. We also save you time and money, as we offer a global service from a single source.

TÜV SÜD’s food safety audit services

Our typical food hygiene audit includes a detailed assessment of:

• Building structure
• Cleaning regime
• Deliveries
• Documentation, monitoring and records
• Emergency procedures
• Equipment and facilities
• Food display
• Personal hygiene
• Pest control
• Product handling
• Storage areas
• Supervision, instruction and/or training
• Temperature control
• Hygiene and food safety audits to local, international and custom standards
• Process and product audits (according to customer requirements)
• Supplier audits (to minimise the risk from external sources)
• Audits of equipment hygiene (such as using the facilities of the airlines)
• An audit report with detailed information on the status of implemented processes and potential for improvement.

We also conduct:

• Regular food safety and quality audits, microbiological testing of food samples and chemical testing of food contact materials to ensure ongoing compliance during food production.
• Audits of supply chain partners to identify potential weaknesses in supply chain activities and test end food products under real world conditions to assess consumer safety and satisfaction.

Click here to download a checklist to ensure hygiene in your establishment during this COVID-19 pandemic.