Food safety audit: practical guide and useful tips

In the food industry, safety is a top priority and every aspect of production must comply with strict standards. Using certified and compliant lubricants helps prevent contamination and successfully pass food audits. From choosing the right food-grade lubricant to documentation management, adopting best practices ensures operational efficiency and protects the quality of finished products.

Food safety audits are more complex than ever, each with specific requirements. This article lists some key steps to help you prepare:

• What you need to address the lubricants section of your food safety audit.
• Best practices to incorporate into your standard operating procedures to increase your chances of success.

Documentation and certifications required during a food safety audit.

What to prepare for the lubricants audit

Whether the food safety audit involves ISO, GFSI, IFS Food, SQF, AIB International, FDA certifications or a customer’s internal standards, compliance has become increasingly important to customers, consumers and the value of a company’s brand.

When preparing for the lubricants part of the audit, there are common elements to follow regardless of the type of inspection. The key steps include:

• Accurate documentation.
• The correct and appropriate use of food-grade lubricants.
• A valid operating process to prevent cross-contamination between lubricants and food.

In these cases, it is very important to always check the specific requirements for each type of audit.

Product certifications

During a food safety audit, you may be asked to demonstrate that the lubricating oils and greases used meet certain standards.

For food grade lubricants, you may need to provide additional declarations regarding allergens, dietary restrictions or the presence of genetically modified ingredients (GMOs).

Documents of compliance with religious or local certifications, such as Kosher or Halal, may also be required. In these cases, it is often sufficient to contact your supplier to obtain the latest certificates.

On average, a food manufacturing facility uses between 20 and 60 lubricant products. So, if you have a well-established lubrication programme with fewer products and a single supplier, obtaining the required documentation will be easier and quicker.

Documentation to be submitted for a food safety audit

• Preventive maintenance plan: this is essential to demonstrate compliance with the guidelines.
• Cross-reference report: before a food safety audit, it is a good idea to prepare a detailed list of the lubricants used, organised by type of equipment, application and frequency of use. This shows the auditor that the correct, certified lubricants are being used for the intended applications.
• Safety data sheets (SDS): it is important to keep these for all products in use.
• Staff training records: these are used to demonstrate that staff have been trained in the correct use and handling of lubricants.
• Product labels: review is essential, especially if food grade and non-food grade lubricants are used. Prepare an explanation of the system adopted to distinguish products and prevent contamination, and ensure that all packaging is labelled in a legible and durable manner. This process must be carefully monitored as it is common for labels to become damaged or come off due to oily surfaces or frequent handling.

Safe storage and handling practices

During the food safety audit, inspectors are likely to visit the facility to assess:

• The production areas.
• The places where unused lubricants are stored.
• Technical rooms with equipment that uses lubricants

In addition to the general state of cleanliness and order, auditors will check that there is a clear distinction between food grade lubricants (e.g. H1, HT1) and non-food grade lubricants, ensuring that controls are in place to prevent misuse.

Food safety is at risk if a non-food grade lubricant is used in an application that requires a certified product.

To ensure you are prepared for these checks, there are a number of recommended solutions, including the use of:

• Dedicated tanks and pumps.
• Drums with dedicated pumps.
• Sealed containers for transport.

Filtration, airtight containers, caps with desiccant breathers to prevent air contamination and ensure product purity until use.

Continuous good operating practices

Facing a food safety audit is much easier if the team is already prepared. That is why it is useful to integrate these measures into the standard operating procedures of the plant:

• Regularly monitor the operating environment, documenting where potential risks of cross-contamination from lubricants have been identified and resolved.
• Maintain an up-to-date list of lubricants in use, including the full product name, the area where it is used and the quantity used.
• Adopt a robust inventory management process to ensure traceability and continuous control of the lubricant life cycle.
• Document internal safety initiatives, such as periodic reviews of technical and safety data sheets and verification of certifications.

Conduct regular mock audits to identify and correct any issues before an official inspection.

Ensure Compliance with the Right Partner

Preparing for a food safety audit requires attention to detail, up-to-date documentation, and the use of certified, high-performance lubricants. By integrating best practices into your daily operations and relying on trusted, food-grade products, you can ensure compliance, avoid cross-contamination, and maintain the integrity of your production process.

If you need more information or wish to explore the Setral range of food-grade lubricants, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at MD Poland. We’re here to support your team in every step of the audit preparation and lubricant selection process.