How do I prepare for a NSW Food Authority audit?
NSW Food Authority (NSWFA) audits are more detailed than standard council inspections and are typically required for higher-risk food businesses such as aged care facilities, manufacturers, and businesses with third-party certification. Preparation is critical to achieving a compliant outcome.
Key steps to prepare
- Review your Food Safety Program: Ensure it is current, accurately reflects your operations, and has been reviewed within the last 12 months
- Check all monitoring records: Temperature logs, cleaning records, and corrective action records should be complete, legible, and up-to-date
- Verify FSS credentials: Ensure your Food Safety Supervisor's certificate is current and on-site
- Complete an internal audit: Walk through your HACCP plan and check each CCP against actual practice
- Train or retrain staff: All food handlers should be able to explain the food safety procedures relevant to their role
- Organise documentation: Have all records, certificates, supplier contracts, and your FSP in a single, accessible location
- Check calibration records: Thermometers and any measuring equipment must have current calibration records
What auditors look for beyond paperwork
NSWFA auditors will observe actual practices — they want to see that your team follows the procedures in your FSP, not just that the document looks polished. Staff behaviour, kitchen organisation, and the condition of equipment all matter.
AMES Food Advisory offers pre-audit mock audits and gap analysis, giving you a clear picture of your compliance position before the official audit takes place.