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Food Allergen Control and Management Audit Checklist

A comprehensive checklist for auditing allergen control measures in food processing facilities to ensure proper management, prevent cross-contamination, and comply with labeling regulations.

Food Allergen Control and Management Audit Checklist

by: audit-now
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About This Checklist

Effective allergen control is critical in the food and beverage industry to protect consumers with food allergies and comply with labeling regulations. This Food Allergen Control and Management Audit Checklist is designed to help food safety professionals, quality assurance managers, and production supervisors assess and improve allergen management practices throughout the food production process. By addressing key areas such as ingredient sourcing, storage, handling, production scheduling, cleaning procedures, and labeling, this checklist helps identify potential cross-contamination risks and ensures proper allergen declaration. Regular use of this checklist can significantly reduce the risk of allergen-related incidents, enhance consumer trust, and demonstrate due diligence in allergen management.

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Industry

Food and Beverage

Standard

Food Safety Standards

Workspaces

Food processing plants

Occupations

Food Safety Manager
Quality Assurance Specialist
Production Supervisor
Allergen Coordinator
Regulatory Compliance Officer
1
Are all allergens properly labeled on products?
2
Is there a procedure in place to prevent cross-contamination?
3
What training do employees receive regarding allergen management?
4
What percentage of ingredients can be traced back to source?
Min: 0
Target: 100
Max: 100
5
When was the last allergen audit conducted?
6
Describe the measures implemented for allergen control.
7
Is there a system for reporting allergen-related incidents?
8
When was the last allergen training session held?
9
How many allergen audits are conducted annually?
Min: 1
Target: 2
Max: 12
10
What corrective actions are taken for identified allergen issues?
11
Has a recent allergen risk assessment been completed?
12
How many high-risk allergens have been identified in your facility?
Min: 0
Target: 5
Max: 20
13
What preventive controls are documented for allergen management?
14
Is allergen information collected from suppliers?
15
When is the next allergen management review scheduled?
16
Is the allergen control policy readily available to all employees?
17
Are sanitation procedures in place for areas handling allergens?
18
How many allergen-related incidents occurred in the last year?
Min: 0
Target: 3
Max: 100
19
Have all employees received training on allergen awareness?
20
When was the last review of allergen labeling conducted?
21
Is the allergen control plan reviewed at least annually?
22
What process is in place for verifying allergen information from suppliers?
23
How often is allergen training conducted for employees?
Min: 1
Target: 6
Max: 12
24
Is there an emergency response plan for allergen-related incidents?
25
When is the next scheduled allergen training session?

FAQs

Allergen control audits should be conducted at least quarterly, with more frequent checks on critical control points. Additionally, audits should be performed whenever there are changes in ingredients, suppliers, or production processes that may impact allergen management.

Key areas include ingredient receiving and storage practices, production scheduling to minimize cross-contact, cleaning and sanitation procedures between allergen changeovers, employee training on allergen handling, and verification of accurate allergen labeling on finished products.

Allergen control audits should involve a cross-functional team including quality assurance managers, food safety specialists, production supervisors, and representatives from procurement and packaging departments to ensure comprehensive coverage of all aspects of allergen management.

Important documentation includes ingredient specifications, supplier allergen statements, production schedules, cleaning validation records, employee training logs, and finished product label verification records.

Audit results can be used to identify gaps in allergen management practices, implement corrective actions, update allergen control procedures, enhance employee training programs, and improve supplier management to strengthen overall food safety and allergen control measures.

Benefits of Food Allergen Control and Management Audit Checklist

Ensures compliance with allergen labeling regulations

Reduces the risk of allergen cross-contamination in food products

Improves traceability of allergen-containing ingredients

Enhances consumer safety and trust in food products

Minimizes the potential for costly product recalls due to undeclared allergens