Third party food safety audits began over fifty years ago to prepare food manufacturers and distributors for a possible FDA inspection.  Food safety at that time was uncharted waters for many manufacturers and distributors.  Many had no ideas of what the FDA was looking for, was it just rodents and insects or was it more detailed.

    During these days there were but a few companies that concentrated on the new FDA regulations and performed mock FDA inspections that would educate the companies on what they needed to do to pass a FDA inspection.  These audits mirrored a FDA inspection.  This was basically the beginning of the third party audit and basically this provided a valuable service to society by teaching food manufacturers and distributors food safety concepts even if they did not encounter a FDA inspection.  In the early days of food safety there was much to be learned.

    Over the years third party audits have evolved into certifying vendors or suppliers at a certain level of food safety.  What this means is that a food retailer or manufacturer will inform all of its suppliers that they will require a third party food safety audit from a XYZ company.  This will assure the retailer or manufacturer that their suppliers are operating in a safe manner and are not endangering their brand name.
 

    Again, these third party audits provide a service to our society as it is physically impossible for the FDA to get around to the approximately 140,000 registered domestic food facilities in the United States.  There are many new standards being introduced such as the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.  This requires each facility to conduct a hazard analysis, implement preventive controls, and a food safety plan.  Many third party auditors feel that this is long overdue.

    There is a right and wrong way to employ third party auditors.  It is wrong to let them out there and just review audit grades.  It is right to audit the auditor, get to know your auditing company, and work together on a continual basis to improve the levels of food safety and to protect your brand name.  ASI Food Safety Consultants has been providing third party food safety audits for over 70 years and can customize an audit of report form especially for your firm.