Food Fraud Prevention & Mitigation Auditing

Service summary

An assessment of existing food fraud vulnerability evaluations and mitigation measures. The audit examines how authenticity risks in materials and supply relationships are reflected in purchasing, supplier assurance and verification controls.

The service helps management understand whether identified vulnerabilities are supported by proportionate evidence. It does not guarantee authenticity of every ingredient or replace laboratory analysis and the operator’s vulnerability assessment responsibilities.

Key objectives

• Evaluate vulnerability assessment coverage
• Examine mitigation implementation
• Assess authenticity evidence quality
• Identify unsupported supplier or material assurances

Methodology

Higher-vulnerability materials are traced through existing risk assessments, purchasing controls and verification evidence using agreed food fraud criteria.

• Define materials, supply relationships and fraud assessment criteria.
• Review vulnerability evaluations and information used to maintain them.
• Select higher-risk ingredients, suppliers and purchasing changes.
• Trace specifications, origin claims and supplier approval evidence.
• Examine applicable verification, test and authenticity records.
• Assess deviations, reassessment triggers and mitigation follow-through.
• Report evidence gaps and effectiveness findings without designing mitigations.

Key outcomes

References: [G04]

• Food fraud control assessment
• Material-specific evidence gaps
• Mitigation implementation findings
• Supplier assurance weaknesses