The Think Tank on the Future of Food Safety Auditing represents a pivotal step in the quest for a safer, more transparent food supply chain. Collective efforts, rigorous research, and strategic recommendations have laid the groundwork for transformative changes in food safety auditing, as will be discussed at a May 9 session on "The Future of Food Safety Auditing" at the 2024 Food Safety Summit.

In defending food safety procedures and practices to an inspector who is challenging them, it is best to have multiple sequential "rings of defense." This means that the easiest changes are suggested first, with more costly and difficult changes suggested later. Doing this strategically has the advantage of minimizing changes to the procedures and practices, and potentially avoiding a costly recall or market withdrawal.

Food safety auditing has progressed a great deal in the last three decades, but it is clear that it has yet to keep up with changing needs, expectations, and technological developments. This article explores the envisioned future of auditing, including how to develop talent and retain auditors, the qualities of a successful auditor, the importance of calibration among auditing teams, developments in technology and tools for auditors, and changes in processes with certification bodies, among other aspects.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we interview Marc Cwikowski, Founder and Managing Director of All Food Consulting and Co-Founder at World of Auditing, about how food companies can develop risk-based audit strategies, the importance of aligning business priorities with audit priorities, ways that food companies can maximize the value of audits, how auditing can improve traceability and transparency, achieving preparedness for supply chain challenges, and the future of food safety auditing.