Activities, other than monitoring, that confirm a food safety system is working as intended.
Activities, other than monitoring, that confirm a food safety system is working as intended. Verification is the use of methods, procedures and tests, in addition to routine monitoring, to determine whether a food safety system is operating as intended. It is one of the HACCP principles and answers the question: is our plan actually working in practice, not just on paper? Verification activities include reviewing monitoring records, checking that corrective actions were carried out, calibrating thermometers, occasional independent temperature checks and internal or external audits. Verification is periodic rather than continuous, and it is distinct from validation, which asks whether the controls are capable of working in the first place. For a food business, verification is often a weekly or monthly routine carried out by the food safety supervisor: reading through the temperature logs, confirming missed checks were followed up, checking that probe thermometers are calibrated and spot-checking that procedures are being followed on the floor. External verification also plays a part. A council environmental health officer inspection, or a third party food safety audit under Standard 3.2.1 for higher risk businesses, independently verifies that the system is being followed and is effective. Verification findings often lead to improvements in the program. Each month a Sydney aged care kitchen manager reviews the temperature logs, calibrates the probe thermometers in iced water and boiling water, and confirms that every out of range reading had a recorded corrective action, documenting the review as verification of the food safety program.
Frequently asked questions
How is verification different from monitoring?
Monitoring is routine real-time checking at control points. Verification is a periodic, separate check that the monitoring and the wider system are actually working.
What are examples of verification?
Reviewing records, calibrating thermometers, checking corrective actions were done, and internal or external audits.
How is verification different from validation?
Validation confirms the controls are capable of controlling the hazard before use. Verification confirms the system is being followed and remains effective in practice.
Who carries out verification?
Usually the food safety supervisor or manager internally, and environmental health officers or food safety auditors externally.
How often should verification happen?
Periodically, at a frequency suited to the business. Many businesses review records weekly or monthly and calibrate thermometers regularly.
