Audits & Certifications

Quality Audits Without Errors or Surprises

By Claudia · · 7 min read

Two technicians in lab coats checking product trays during a quality audit

Quality Audits Without Errors or Surprises

If you work in the food industry, the phrase quality audit probably triggers a mix of respect and dread. Yet far from being a feared formality, a well-prepared audit is one of the most valuable tools for guaranteeing food safety, improving internal processes, and showing customers and regulators that your company operates with rigor. In this article we explain what it is, what it's for, and how to approach it without errors or surprises.

What a quality audit is and what it's for

A quality audit is a systematic, documented and independent process that assesses how well an organization meets the requirements set out in its quality management system, whether regulatory, legal or internal. It isn't a one-off inspection, but a structured analysis that examines procedures, records, facilities and real-world practices.

What is a quality audit for? Its main objectives are several: catching deviations before they become serious problems, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, verifying compliance with current legislation, and strengthening the trust of customers and business partners. In short, a quality management audit acts as a mirror that objectively shows the real state of the system.

In the food sector, this process takes on special importance because it's directly tied to consumer safety. As set out in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law (Regulation [EC] 178/2002, 2002), food business operators are primarily responsible for ensuring that the products they place on the market meet safety requirements. Audits are precisely the mechanism that verifies that responsibility is being exercised effectively.

Types of quality audits: internal, external and supplier

Not all quality audits are the same. Depending on who carries them out and what their scope is, we can distinguish three broad types. If you want to dig deeper into the differences, check out our article on types of quality audit.

Internal audit: Carried out by staff from the organization itself, or by auditors hired for the purpose who act independently of the area being audited. Its goal is to assess how the management system is performing before a third party does. It's the perfect tool for continuous improvement and for preparing for external certifications. Standards like ISO 22000 and ISO 9001 (ISO, n.d.) require organizations to carry out internal audits at planned intervals to make sure the system is compliant and effective.

External audit, or second-/third-party audit: Carried out by customers (second party) or accredited certification bodies (third party). These are the audits that lead to internationally recognized certifications such as BRCGS, IFS or FSSC 22000, which open the door to major distribution chains and international markets.

Supplier audit: Food companies depend on an extensive supply chain. Auditing critical suppliers verifies that the raw materials or services received meet the required standards, reducing the risk of non-conformities entering the production process.

Phases of the audit process: from plan to report

A well-run quality audit follows a clear path. Knowing its phases lets you plan ahead, organize documentation in good time, and avoid last-minute scrambling.

1. Planning: Everything starts with drafting the audit plan. This stage defines the scope, objectives, criteria to be assessed, schedule and audit team. A detailed plan cuts down on improvisation and ensures no area is left unreviewed.

2. Preparation and document review: Before the on-site visit, the audit team reviews existing documentation: procedures, records, results of previous audits and corrective actions. This preliminary phase catches inconsistencies on paper and focuses the audit's time on the critical points.

3. Execution: This is the fieldwork phase. Auditors directly observe facilities and processes, interview staff, and verify that actual practice matches what's documented. This is where findings are identified: conformities, non-conformities and improvement opportunities.

4. Communicating findings: At the end of the audit, a closing meeting is held to present the findings to the company's team. Transparency at this stage is essential so the people responsible understand the problems found and can act quickly.

5. Audit report: The auditor produces a formal report with all findings classified, the evidence backing them up, and the corresponding recommendations. This document is the basis for the corrective action plan.

6. Follow-up and closure: An audit doesn't end with the report. The quality manager must handle the non-conformities found, implement corrective actions, and verify their effectiveness within the agreed timeframe. Without this phase, the audit loses much of its value.

If you want a more detailed guide on organizing this process, check out our article on how to run an internal quality audit step by step.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them by digitizing checklists and findings

Even the most experienced quality teams can fall into certain traps that undermine the value of quality audits. Spotting them is the first step to overcoming them.

Insufficient preparation: One of the most common failures is not spending enough time reviewing documentation before the audit. Working with outdated records or procedures that don't reflect the real process creates avoidable findings. The fix is to keep the management system alive all year round, not just when the audit date approaches.

Paper checklists that are hard to manage: Paper checklists get lost, deteriorate, and are hard to analyze in aggregate. When it's time to demonstrate compliance to an external auditor, finding the right evidence among folders and physical files can become a nightmare. Digitizing checklists gives you instant access to information, lets you filter by area or process, and lets you show a compliance history with a couple of clicks.

Reactive handling of findings: Logging a non-conformity and forgetting about it until the next audit is a mistake that happens far too often. A digital findings-management system assigns owners, sets deadlines, and sends automatic reminders, ensuring corrective actions close on time and correctly.

Lack of evidence traceability: During an external audit, the auditor may request evidence from any point in the year. Without a centralized tool, retrieving that specific record can take hours. With a digital platform like Solved, all documentation is linked to its corresponding process and retrievable in seconds.

Poor communication between departments: Quality auditing isn't just the quality department's business. Production, logistics, purchasing and maintenance are also evaluated. When communication between areas breaks down, inconsistencies appear between what a manager says and what the documentation shows. Getting every department involved in a day-to-day quality culture is key to avoiding these situations.

In short, a quality audit without errors or surprises isn't a matter of luck: it's the result of constant preparation, organized document management, and the support of digital tools that make the quality manager's daily work easier. Technology doesn't replace professional judgment, but it does eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and frees up time for what really matters: improving the system and guaranteeing food safety.

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