FSSC Version 5.1 Audit Checklist

FSSC version 5.1 adds 15 requirements to its food safety management system standard, making this an important upgrade for quality managers, internal auditors and food safety specialists.

2024 will mark a change to version 6 of FSSC, featuring revised food chain categories, extended audit durations and additional requirements from this certification body.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is a system designed to ensure food systems from their initial production through final consumption remain safe. It focuses on minimizing or eliminating hazards before they arise based on scientific and technical principles.

HACCP begins by conducting a Hazard Analysis. Here, a HACCP team lists any biological, chemical or physical hazards which could potentially be introduced, increased, or controlled at each step in food production process and their possible effect(s) on consumers.

The next step involves identifying critical control points (CCPs). Critical Control Points are steps where significant hazards can be eliminated or controlled, and should be identified through information gathered during hazard analysis. Once CCPs have been identified, critical limits for each must be established either scientifically or regulatory based and be measurable – finally the team should establish verification procedures.

Food Safety Plan
Though the US boasts one of the safest food supplies worldwide, an estimated 128,000 individuals become sick annually due to foodborne contamination issues. Therefore, it is critical that FSSC 22000 regulations are followed so as to reduce potential contamination issues from occurring in the first place.

Food safety plans allow businesses to identify and assess hazards related to products manufactured, processed, packed or held at their facility. Your plan must contain written hazard analyses of each specific food product produced by your company as well as preventive controls such as cleaning and sanitization procedures to mitigate identified dangers.

By creating an in-depth food safety plan, you can reduce your chances of failing an FSSC audit. With our FSSC 22000 version 5.1 documentation kit, you will have all of the documents needed for audit-compliant food handling as well as clear monitoring task templates that you can edit according to the needs of your company.

Food Safety Training
Food safety training is an integral component of running any food business, ensuring employees understand proper handling protocols and decreasing contamination risks – not only protecting customers and staff alike but also decreasing lawsuit risks.

Some foods contain naturally-occurring toxins that can lead to serious illness. In order to ensure safe food production processes are being followed during preparation, employees should receive training on using HACCP processes in order to effectively eliminate such toxins from food products.

Checklists can help standardize health inspections and food safety protocols across an organization, as well as identify issues and take corrective actions. However, to ensure maximum effectiveness it’s vital that they’re regularly reviewed based on regulations, operational practices, staff feedback and customer surveys – this way ensuring all areas needing improvement are covered by your checklists and have plans in place for following up identified problems to prevent recurrences.

Audits
Maintaining effective audit trails is of utmost importance for teams. Timestamped records will make auditing easier for outside parties and help auditors verify whether transactions are valid. Some logging systems allow configuration of settings; it is wise to double-check these to make sure the audit trail contains all of the pertinent data.

Internal audits are an indispensable element of passing an on-site FSSC 22000 inspection, providing the opportunity to address any areas that are experiencing difficulties before they come up in an external audit. By performing regular internal audits, any trouble spots can be highlighted early and be remedied before their presence is seen again by external auditors.