Internal Audit

An internal audit is a planned, documented review carried out by or on behalf of an organization to determine whether its procedures, controls and management systems meet defined requirements and are working effectively. In a restaurant or food business, an internal audit can examine food safety, sanitation, allergen management, training, inventory, purchasing, quality and operational standards.

What an internal food-safety audit may review

• Receiving, storage temperatures, date marking and stock rotation.
• Cooking, cooling, reheating and hot- and cold-holding records.
• Cleaning schedules, sanitizer concentration and equipment condition.
• Handwashing, employee hygiene and illness-reporting practices.
• Allergen information, ingredient verification and cross-contact controls.
• Food-safety training, approved procedures and corrective-action records.

How to conduct an internal audit

1. Define the scope, criteria, locations and period to be reviewed.
2. Prepare an audit checklist based on regulations, the food-safety plan and company standards.
3. Observe work practices, inspect facilities and review records.
4. Ask employees to explain and demonstrate relevant procedures.
5. Record objective evidence and identify any non-conformities or improvement opportunities.
6. Assign corrective actions, deadlines and responsible persons, then verify completion.

Internal audit versus routine checklist

A daily opening or closing checklist confirms that specific tasks have been completed. An internal audit is a more structured review that tests whether the procedures are suitable, understood and consistently effective. It may use checklists, but it should also examine evidence and recurring problems.

Example: A sous-chef conducts a monthly audit of cooler records, date labels, sanitation, handwashing and allergen controls. The audit identifies repeated gaps in cooling records, leading to revised training and follow-up checks.

Chef’s tip: Use audit findings to improve the system, not simply to score employees. Look for the underlying reason a requirement was missed and verify that the corrective action prevents recurrence.