How to Prepare for Your Next Food Safety Audit

Third-party food safety audits are a serious matter for food processing facilities. Just one low score can drive companies that purchase your products to lose trust in your business. With so much riding on a good score, it’s important to understand how to be audit-ready. (To learn more about the newest audit-related changes you’re facing as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, download our special report.)

Did you know pest control plays a significant role in every major food safety audit? It can account for up to 20 percent of your total score.

And achieving a high pest control score doesn’t happen overnight. You must make pest control a daily focus by implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, and supplement those efforts with extensive and accurate documentation.

There are some steps you can take though, starting about a week ahead of your food audit, to help set your facility up for success.

Tips to Prepare for Food Safety Audits

Preparing for a food safety audit is a critical part of running a successful food and beverage processing facility. It’s not just about meeting compliance standards—it’s also about showing your commitment to quality and consumer safety. Follow these tips to make sure your facility is ready:

• Conduct Internal Audits: Start with a thorough self-assessment well before the official audit. This helps you spot and fix any issues in sanitation, pest control, or food safety practices before they become problems.

• Keep Documentation Updated: Make sure all food safety plans, pest control logs, and standard operating procedures are current and organized. Easy access to up-to-date records shows that your facility is well-managed.

• Train Your Staff: Educate your team on food safety protocols, including pest prevention. A well-trained staff is your first line of defense against audit concerns and potential pest problems.

• Run a Mock Audit: Practice makes perfect! Simulate the audit process to help your team feel confident and uncover any areas you might have missed.

• Inspect and Clean the Facility: Give your facility a deep clean and inspect it thoroughly, especially in areas where pests might hide. If you spot signs of pest activity, address them immediately.

• Review Pest Control Measures: Double-check that your integrated pest management (IPM) program is up to date and functioning effectively. This includes regular inspections, preventive treatments, and accurate record-keeping.

• Fix Issues Quickly: If you find problems during your internal audits or pest inspections, resolve them right away and document the steps you took. This shows a commitment to continuous improvement.

• Assign Audit Day Roles: Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities for the audit, including who will guide the auditor and handle questions about pest control.

What to Do a Week Before Your Food Safety Audit:

Complete these steps with your pest control provider:

1. Review the specific auditor’s requirements.

2. Review on-site documentation to ensure all required documents are up-to-date and accessible.

3. Walk the interior of the facility to ensure all pest control devices are properly placed, labeled and meet auditor requirements.

4. Walk the exterior of the facility to ensure all pest control devices are properly placed, labeled and meet auditor requirements. Pay special attention to rodent and bird control equipment.

What to Do 24-hours Before Your Food Safety Audit:

1. Review the interior and exterior of the facility to ensure everything is clean and all evidence of pest activity has been eliminated.

By following these steps, you can approach your food safety audit with confidence and demonstrate that your facility meets the highest standards.

To help prepare your facility for an outstanding pest control score, download and complete our free Plant Manager’s Pre-Audit Checklist. The checklist includes a detailed breakdown of the steps above. And for a full look at how the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) impacts your audit preparation, download our free FSMA Special Report.

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