ISO 22000 Articles

ISO 22000 Article # 1:
Usefulness of ISO 22000 Audit Checklist for Food Safety Management System

The ISO 22000 Audit Checklist is one of the main ways to measure the effectiveness of the Food Safety Management System of an Organization in the food chain that intends to go for the ISO 22000 Certification.

The ISO 22000 Audit Checklist for food management system is an ISO document that is prepared in the form of questions which are as per the clauses of the ISO 22000 standard. Thus, the ISO 22000 Internal Audit checklist covers all the ISO 22000 standard requirements(ISO 22000 guidelines)and makes sure that no important points are left out. Apart from these questions, which cover the ISO 22000 clauses, you can also include relatedquestions that you as an ISO 22000 Internal Auditor can ask the Auditee.

Once the audit checklist is prepared, it is better that the Food Safety Team Leader divides the checklist questions as per the Internal Audit Plan.

Note that the same checklist can also be used for ISO 22000 Gap Analysis, which is the first step for an Organization in the journey towards ISO 22000 Certification.

ISO 22000 Article # 2
How to plan your ISO 22000 Internal audit?

Following are the important points that ensures effective planning of ISO 22000 Internal Audits:

• Ensure that the authority of the Internal Audit team is established. Ensure the audit team's success with effective 22000 Internal Auditor training.
• Prepare an Internal Audit Calendar (Internal Audit Schedule) for the year that provides tentative dates and the frequency of the audits. Distribute the calendar to all concerned.
• Develop an Internal Audit planand examine what audit resources are required.
• Determine the purpose of the audit - is it an overview of the area being audited or is it to focus on a specific system within the area? Is it to comply with governmental regulations, quality standards, internal procedures and system?
• Call for a meeting with the Internal Auditors to discuss and finalize the dates, plan, purpose, and scope of the audit. Put this information into the Audit plan and send out the information well in advance to all concerned.
• Prepare the Internal Audit Checklist, divide the questions amongst the auditors and distribute the same.
• Refer ISO 22000 documentation: Read the ISO 22000 standard, FSMS Manual (ISO 22000 Manual), your ISO 22000 ppt / pdf presentation, ISO 22000 mandatory procedures, Food safety policy and objectives, ISO 22000 forms, HACCP principles, training documents, other ISO 22000 related documents and ISO 22000 mandatory records before the Internal Audit.

If you are planning to conduct an ISO 22000 Internal Audit in India or a Gap Analysis, the Consultant team of Inzinc can help you throughout the Internal Audit / Gap Analysis process right from preparation of the Audit Checklist to reporting Audit (ISO 22000 Internal Audit Report) / Gap Analysis results. Please feel free to contact us at ic@inzinc.in