Differences between official inspections and third party audits of food establishments

Official food control inspections (official inspections) of food establishments and third party audits of food safety management systems (FSMSs) based on international standards both focus on food safety, which has raised discussions on whether FSMSs and their audits could reduce official inspections in food establishments. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the findings of official inspections and third party audits in food establishments are in alignment and to survey the inspectors' and food business operators' (FBOs) perceptions of official inspections and audits. The results can be used in planning the use of audit results as part of official food control. The results show that both inspectors and auditors recognized non-compliances/non-conformities, but significant discrepancies between the findings of official inspections and audits existed, making the utilization of audit results challenging. However, most of the FBOs and inspectors agreed that official inspections and audits overlap, and the majority also agreed that audits of a certified FSMS could under certain circumstances reduce official inspections.