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Meet global safety standard with a GFSI audit checklist

Meet global safety standard with a GFSI audit checklist

Use this GFSI audit checklist to conduct a self-audit of your organisation and guarantee that you adhere to the global food safety initiative standards.

Use this template
or download pdf
Meet global safety standard with a GFSI audit checklist

Use this GFSI audit checklist to conduct a self-audit of your organisation and guarantee that you adhere to the global food safety initiative standards.

Use this template
or download pdf

About the Meet global safety standard with a GFSI audit checklist

A GFSI Audit Checklist is a tool used to ensure that a food safety management system meets the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). The checklist is a comprehensive list of criteria that must be met in order for an organization to demonstrate that it is in compliance with GFSI standards.

The Essential GFSI Audit Checklist for Food Safety Compliance

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Audit Checklist is a critical tool for businesses in the food industry to ensure compliance with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards. The checklist is a comprehensive guide to the GFSI standards, providing businesses with a clear understanding of their requirements to successfully pass an audit.

Benefits of using a GFSI audit checklist include:


  • Increased confidence in food safety systems. By using a GFSI audit checklist to evaluate existing processes and procedures, food safety professionals can be sure that their operations are compliant with all applicable food safety standards.
  • Improved consistency and accuracy of evaluations. The GFSI audit checklist provides a comprehensive list of criteria to be evaluated during the audit process, ensuring that all relevant areas are assessed.
  • Reduced costs and time spent on audits. By using a GFSI audit checklist, food safety professionals can quickly and accurately assess their food safety systems, reducing the time and cost associated with more traditional audit methods.

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    FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
    General Demands
    Scope of the FSMS is defined
    Scope of the FSMS information:
    • Product categories
    • Production sites
    • Methods
    Any outsourced methods related to food safety are examined, identified and documented in the FSMS?
    Documentation Demands
    Approval of documents for adequacy before the issue
    Identification and control of external documents.
    Obviate unintended use of out-of-date documents, and to suitably identify them if they are clutched for any purpose
    Check, update and re-approve
    Changes and current revision status are identified
    Relevant versions of documents in place at points of use
    Control of documents
    Control of the correction, retrieval, classification, storage, protection, maintenance time and distribution of records
    Readable and readily identifiable.
    Method for efficient and accurate record-keeping to provide proof of conformity to demands and of the effective performance of the FSMS
    Records readable, readily identifiable and retrievable
    MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY
    Food Safety Policy
    Acts to comply with statutory, regulatory and customer FS demands
    Followed by measurable objectives
    Examined for continual suitability
    Communicated and understood within the whole organisation
    Suitable to the role in the food chain
    FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PLANNING
    ... to meet the goals.
    ... to keep the FSM integrity when changes are performed
    RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY
    Designated staff to initiate and document actions
    Responsibility and authority are explained and communicated within the whole organisation
    Identified person/people to accept reports problems with the FSMS
    COMMUNICATION
    Performed effective systems for communicating with:
    - Suppliers and contractors
    - Customers/Consumers
    - Food authorities
    - Other organisations that could be influenced by that
    Assigned designated staff to handle external communication?
    Did the top management report the importance of meeting this standard, legal and customer FS demands to the whole organisation?
    Implemented effective forms for communicating with relevant staff?
    FST is noticed changes, especially concerning:
    - Raw materials, ingredients and services
    - Cleaning and sanitation programs
    - Knowledge concerning food safety risks and control measures
    - Production systems and materials/equipment
    - Production premises, location of equipment, surrounding environment
    - Staff qualification level/allocation of responsibilities and authorizations
    - Products or new products
    - Regulatory demands
    - Any condition which has an impact on food safety
    - Customer, sector and other
    - Packaging, deposits and distribution systems
    - Important enquiries from external interested people/parties
    - Complaints indicating dangers connected with the product
    MANAGEMENT REVIEW
    Follow-up actions from earlier reviews
    Communication activities (e.g. customer feedback)
    Verification activities
    Changes connected to FS
    At scheduled intervals
    Emergency situations, incidents and recalls
    Revisions of the FSP and goals
    System updating activities
    External audits or examinations
    Assurance of food safety
    Records sustained
    Developed effectiveness of the FSMS
    Resource requirements
    RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
    Human Resources (HR)
    Training
    Special training for staff responsible of controlling, corrections, and corrective actions
    Documents of training and other actions
    Agreement or contracts with external experts engaged in FSM
    Review of implementation and effectiveness
    Knowledge of contribution to FS
    Identify important competencies
    Awareness of a demand for effective communication
    PLANNING AND REALIZATION OF SAFEPRODUCTS
    PRPs shall be:
    Appropriate to the organisational demands
    Conducted across general programs
    Suitable to the size and kind of operation and product
    Implemented across specific programs
    Approved by FST according to:
    Recognised guidelines
    Legal demands
    Customer demands
    Codes of Practices
    CODEX Alimentarius
    ESTABLISHING THE OPERATIONAL PRPS
    Documentation is in place for the following programs:
    Control measures
    Monitoring records
    Monitoring methods
    Corrections/corrective actions
    Danger control
    Duties and authority
    Elements of PRPs
    The layout, design, and construction of buildings/facilities include:
    - Location
    - Lighting
    - Perimeter and grounds
    - Floors
    - Ceilings
    - Ventilation
    - Walls
    - Windows
    - Doors
    The layout of premises, including workspace and employee facilities, includes
    - Working space and storage
    - Catering facilities
    - Hand washing facilities
    - Separation of Low/High risk areas/process
    - Segregation design
    - Washing and cleaning places
    - Changing rooms
    - Process flow
    - Toilets
    Supplies of air, water, energy and other utilities are available
    Supporting services including waste and sewerage disposal are available
    Equipment including its precautionary maintenance, sanitary design, and accessibility for maintenance and cleaning for each section are available
    Management of acquired materials, disposals and treatment of products:
    - Ingredients
    - Sewage
    - Packaging
    - Transportation
    - Waste
    - Chemicals
    - Raw materials
    Storage of raw materials/packaging/in process/end products
    Cleaning and sanitizing:
    - Cleaning practices
    - Cleaning plans
    - Control and verification of effectiveness
    - Recorded procedures/records
    Pest Control documentation for:
    - Competent pest control
    - Documented methods/records
    Physical measures: drains, hermetically sealed doors, screens, security perimeter for inventory in storage, etc.
    Location of all measures
    Plan for electric fly killers/baits/traps
    Risk of product contamination with chemicals
    Staff hygiene documentation for:
    - Washing hands
    - PPE
    - Jewelry
    - GMPs
    - Cuts and grazes
    Information on important infectious disease or conditions
    Training
    Medical screening
    PRELIMINERY STEPS TO ENABLE HAZARD ANALYSIS
    Important information required to conduct the danger analysis documented, collected, kept and updated
    FST leader selected by top management with responsibility:
    - training of FST members
    Documents demonstrate the needed expertise for all team members
    - Multi-disciplinary understanding and experience
    - to make sure that FSMS is built, implemented, kept and updated
    - to document to top management about FSMS
    - to manage the FST
    Documentation in place for:
    - Raw materials, ingredients and product-contact materials
    - Product details
    Specifications with:
    - Ingredients including additives and processing support
    - Process of production
    - Biological, chemical and physical details
    - Delivery processes and packaging
    Food safety-related acceptance criteria or specs of purchased materials and ingredients relevant for their intended uses. Appropriate legislation/regulations documented
    - Origin
    - Storage states and shelf-life
    - Preparation and/or treatment before use or processing
    Specifications are updated
    Records for the characteristics of end products:
    - Name
    - Important legislation/regulations documented
    - Composition
    - Biological, chemical and physical details
    - Intended use
    - Packaging
    - Labelling describing food safety and/or directions for handling, preparation and use
    - Planned shelf-life and storage conditions
    - Method/s of distribution
    - Specifications are updated
    Identified and reported appropriate information about:
    - Flow diagrams, process steps and control measures
    - Any unintended but fairly expected mishandling and misuse of the product
    - The reasonably expected treatments of the product
    - Group of consumers recognised, especially vulnerable groups of the population
    - Descriptions are updated
    Flow diagrams in place for:
    - Outputs (end, intermediate, by-product, waste,...)
    - Inputs (raw materials, ingredients, intermediate products,...)
    - Reworking and recycling
    - Frequency/interaction of steps
    - Each product/method category covered by the FSMS
    - Outsourced methods and subcontracted work
    ...and verified by FST (records available)
    Descriptions are updated
    Description of the process steps and control measures are in place
    Control measures/process parameters/procedures connected to food safety described
    Legal and customer demands described
    HAZARD ANALYSIS
    Hazard identification and definition of acceptable levels
    They are identified and documented
    Specific for the kind of product/process and facilities based on:
    - Experience
    - Identified and documented control measures that are to be implemented
    - Preliminary knowledge about product/process and control measures
    - External knowledge including epidemiological and other data historical
    - Information about the food chain
    - Step(s) connected which each risk in the end product established in compliance with legal/customer demands and the proposed use (records available)
    Categorised in General Control Measures (managed through PRPs) or Specific Control Measures (related to CCP's), connected to:
    - Effect on identified food safety risks relative to the intensity applied
    - Methodology of categorisation documented and results documented
    - Location within the system relative to other control measures
    - Synergistic consequences
    - Probability of failure in the functioning
    - Severity of the consequence
    - Specifically to prevent/reduce the level of hazard(s)
    - Feasibility for monitoring
    ESTABLISHING HACCP PLAN
    Identification of CCPs
    Hazard to be controlled by special control measure documented
    Determination of Critical Limits
    In terms of measurable parameters maintained by instructions, specifications, education/training
    Determination of critical limits for the monitoring of each CCP
    The need for legislation-regulations-internal risk, analysis-clients are met
    Selection reported
    MONITORING OF THE CCPs
    A monitoring system for effective and efficient control of CCPs (measurements relative to the critical limits) organised and sustained
    Procedures, instructions and records include:
    - Records and processes
    - Monitoring devices distinguished
    - Calibration methods
    - Measurements that give results within a sufficient time frame
    - Regularity
    - Actions when monitored results exceed critical limits
    CONTROL OF NONCONFORMITY
    A method to identify and evaluate affected end products
    Examine the corrections carried out
    Approved by the right responsible person
    Records with information on the kind of the nonconformity, cause, result and traceability are in place
    Corrective Actions (CAs)
    Data derived from the monitoring of PRPs + CCPs evaluated by designated person to initiate corrective actions
    Initiated when critical limits are exceeded or lack if conformity with PRPs.
    A method to:
    - Review trends
    - Determine the cause of NCs
    - Handle possible unsafe products
    - Assess the need for CAs
    - Determine and using CAs
    - Records of CAs
    - Review NCs (complaints included)
    - Examining CAs
    - A procedure with responses, authorisation, actions and controls
    - NCs products don’t access the food chain unless it is possible to guarantee that the hazards have been decreased to acceptable levels and the product is safe
    - All lots of products influenced by NC identified and controlled until they have been assessed
    The product is released as safe when:
    - Analysis (or other verification activities) show that the product is safe
    - Proof indicates that the control measures have been useful
    - Combined elements of the control measures have shown themselves to be useful
    Storage of non-conforming products:
    - Products not adequate for release are destroyed if reprocessing is not an alternative
    - Products not adequate for release are reprocessed (when possible) to guarantee that the dangers are controlled
    TRACEABILITY SYSTEM
    Identification of product lots and their connection to batches of:
    - Meet customers and regulatory demands based on the shelf life
    - Processing
    - Distribution records (to the immediate distributors)
    - Raw materials
    - Records kept for a defined time period
    Withdrawals
    To facilitate a recall:
    There are authority and responsibility appointed by top management
    Procedure for:
    - Treatment of recalled products as well as connected products still in stock
    - Emergency preparedness and answers
    - Notification
    - Recalled products kept under supervision until their handling
    - Methods to manage potential emergency situations established by top management
    - Describing the sequence of actions
    - Effectiveness of the programme recall supported with records
    VERIFICATION PLANNING
    Establish, record and perform methods for verification of the HACCP system: purpose-methods-frequencies-responsibilities-records
    Confirmed that:
    - Records communicated to the FST
    - The risk analysis is always updated
    - The operational PRPs and the details within the HACCP plan are performed and effective
    - Danger levels are within identified acceptable levels
    - The PRPs are performed
    - NCs outcomes in test samples of end products – affected lots treated as potentially unsafe
    EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL VERIFICATION RESULTS
    Are evaluated systematically by FST
    Methods and communication channels are available
    Human resources/Training
    NCs with the scheduled arrangements – actions to get conformity. Inspection records available.
    Results of the risk analysis/operational PRPs/HACCP Plan
    PRPs
    ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF VERIFICATION ACTIVITIES
    Are analysed by the FST, including the conclusions of internal and external reviews, in order to:
    - Identify the demand for updating/improving the FSMS
    - Confirm effectiveness of improvements and CAs
    - Identify trends
    - Confirm that FSMS meets the established arrangements
    - Establish information for planning internal audits
    - Records are reported to top management. Input to the management evaluation and for updating the FSMS
    VALIDATION OF CONTROL MEASURECOMBINATIONS
    Before implementation and after any change of any kind of control measures, make sure that:
    a) Associate risks are effectively controlled
    b) Outcomes meet the defined acceptable levels
    If a/b failed, adjustment and reassessment of the following are documented:
    - Product details
    - Raw materials
    - Technologies
    -Control measures
    - Distribution
    - Intention of use
    CONTROL OF MONITORING AND MEASURING
    To make sure valid results and measuring equipment have to be controlled for:
    - Protected from any damage
    - Adjusted or re-adjusted as required
    - The calibration status is identified
    - Safeguarded
    - Calibrated/confirmed against measurement standards; where no such standards exist, the base used shall be registered
    - Reports of calibrations, if no conformance – evaluate the validity of the earlier results and handling of the equipment/product.
    - Records appropriateness of software confirmed: before initial use and reconfirm
    FSMS VERIFICATION
    A documented method that defines duties – reporting – records
    To decide whether the FSMS system:
    - Effectively used and maintained
    - Conforms with the intended arrangements
    Audit programme planned:
    - Results of earlier findings
    - Value of processes
    - arease to be examined
    - Considers status
    - Verification of actions are recorded
    - Evidence of auditor's objectivity and impartiality
    - Criteria, scope, frequency, and processes are all defined
    - Corrective actions are carried out on time by the employee responsible for the area
    IMPROVEMENT
    FSMS always improved through:
    - Assessment of individual verification outcomes
    - Management review
    - Internal inspections
    - Analysis of results of verification activities
    - Validation of control measure combinations
    - Communication
    - FSMS updates
    FSMS is updated at scheduled intervals
    If necessary, the HA, PRPs, and the HACCP Plan are examined
    FSMS updates consider:
    - Management review
    - Analysis of conclusions of verification activities;
    - Communication
    - Suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of FSMS
    Completion
    Name and signature of the supervisor
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    This template, developed by Lumiform employees, serves as a starting point for businesses using the Lumiform platform and is intended as a hypothetical example only. It does not replace professional advice. Companies should consult qualified professionals to assess the suitability and legality of using this template in their specific workplace or jurisdiction. Lumiform is not liable for any errors or omissions in this template or for any actions taken based on its content.