GMP Checklist Template Series: Processes & Controls

This month, we begin the Good Manufacturing Practices Template Series. Over the next few months, we will be publishing templates to help you validate the GMPs you have in place and verify your systems.

With this free template, you will receive a checklist for conducting an internal audit on:

• Raw Material Inspection Program
• Product Control
• Foreign Materials Control

General Requirements For Processes and Controls

When looking at your good manufacturing practices, it is important to verify that you are monitoring them effectively. An easy way to do this is with a checklist. For the first part of the Good Manufacturing Template Series, we focus on the general requirements of processes and controls.

In this two-part template, we evaluate the following:

• Wood
• Metal Control
• Knives, blades, scissors, and needle control
• Foreign materials
• The raw material inspection program
• Product control
• Glass and hard plastic

A large portion of this checklist is related to foreign materials. Whether it is metal, wood, agricultural materials, or dangerous objects like scissors and needles, finding these types of materials is very common. Luckily there are many great ways to control these materials but each type requires a different control.

You wouldn’t use a metal detector to control wood fragments, would you? As you go through the checklist, pay special attention to the types of control questions being asked. With a thorough understanding of these controls, it will be that much easier to create safe food.

Using The Template

When using the checklist, you will see that the different areas of focus are broken up into sections. In each section, you will determine if Yes – the process is being conducted properly or No – the process is not being conducted properly. If you answer no to any of the questions, it is considered a “non-conformity” for your internal audit. In the comments section, write the notes necessary to follow up and address the issue.

When addressing the issue, double-check that you are creating a solution that will not only fix the immediate problem but continue to be a permanent improvement to your food safety system.

By correcting all of your internal errors before your next official audit, you are much more likely to be successful.