HACCP Audit Ireland
HACCP Reviews & Audits for Irish Food Businesses
We review your existing HACCP system against current legislation and EHO inspection criteria — finding the gaps before an inspector does.
Your HACCP Plan Is Only as Good as Its Last Review
A HACCP plan is not a document you write once and file away. Under EU Regulation 852/2004, your food safety management system must be reviewed whenever there is a significant change to your operation — a new menu item, a change in supplier, a new piece of equipment, a kitchen reconfiguration. Beyond that, it is considered best practice to review it at least annually regardless of whether changes have been made.
Most food businesses in Ireland do not do this. The HACCP plan written at opening sits in a folder, gradually becoming less and less relevant to how the kitchen actually operates. EHO inspectors know this — and the gap between your documented system and your actual practice is one of the first things they look for.
At Beacon, we audit existing HACCP systems against the current inspection criteria used by Irish Environmental Health Officers. We identify every gap, assess the risk level, and produce a clear report with a prioritised action plan. Where your plan needs to be updated, we update it — not just tell you it needs work.
Nine out of ten HACCP plans we audit require updates. The question is whether you find out from us first, or from an EHO.
At a Glance
What You Get
HACCP gap analysis + updated documentation
BEST FOR
Any food business with an existing HACCP plan
Typical Timeframe
1–3 weeks
How We Work
On-site audit + remote documentation
What an Outdated HACCP Plan Leaves You Exposed To
An existing HACCP plan gives false confidence if it no longer reflects your operation. These are the most common gaps our audits uncover.
Menu Changes Not Reflected in HACCP
Every new dish, new ingredient, or new allergen introduced to your menu should trigger a HACCP review. A plan that does not reflect your current menu is non-compliant — regardless of when it was last formally reviewed.
Missing or Incomplete Temperature Records
Gaps in your temperature monitoring logs — delivery records, fridge checks, cooking temperatures, hot-holding logs — are treated by inspectors as evidence that monitoring is not being carried out consistently.
CCPs Without Defined Critical Limits
A CCP that does not have a clearly defined critical limit (the temperature below which cooked chicken must not drop, for example) cannot be monitored effectively. Inspectors look for specific, measurable limits — not vague guidance.
Allergen Information Not Integrated into HACCP
Allergen management must be embedded in your HACCP plan — not treated as a separate exercise. A HACCP review that does not cover allergen cross-contamination risks at each stage of food production is incomplete.
No Corrective Action Records
When a CCP critical limit is breached, a corrective action must be taken and recorded. Missing corrective action records suggest that monitoring is happening but problems are not being managed — which is worse than not monitoring at all.
Prerequisite Programmes Not Reviewed
Cleaning schedules, pest control records, supplier management and staff training — the programmes that underpin your HACCP system — must be functioning and documented. A HACCP review that does not check these leaves significant risk unassessed.
What's Covered in Your HACCP Audit
A systematic review of every element of your existing food safety management system — from the hazard analysis to the daily temperature records.
HACCP Plan Gap Analysis
A detailed review of your existing HACCP plan against current EU Regulation 852/2004 requirements and EHO inspection criteria — identifying every gap, inconsistency, and area of non-compliance.
CCP & Critical Limit Review
Assessment of every Critical Control Point in your plan — checking that critical limits are defined, monitoring procedures are realistic, and corrective actions are documented and workable for your team.
Temperature & Monitoring Records Audit
A review of your actual temperature logs, delivery check records, and corrective action records against your documented monitoring procedures — identifying gaps between what your plan says and what your records show.
Prerequisite Programme Assessment
Review of your cleaning schedules, pest control records, supplier management, traceability system, and staff training records — the operational programmes that underpin your HACCP system.
Risk-Rated Audit Report
A structured report rating every finding as red, amber or green — with a clear explanation of the compliance requirement, the gap identified, and the specific action needed to close it.
Updated HACCP Documentation
Where your plan requires updates, we provide revised HACCP documentation — including updated hazard analyses, CCP monitoring sheets, and revised record-keeping templates — ready to implement immediately.
Who Needs a HACCP Review
Any food business with an existing HACCP plan should have it reviewed regularly. These are the situations that make a review most urgent.
From First Call to Fully Compliant
Four steps from uncertainty to fully audit-ready.
Free Discovery Call
A brief consultation to understand your business, when your HACCP plan was last reviewed, and any specific concerns or changes to your operation we should know about.
Document Review
We examine your existing HACCP plan — hazard analysis, CCPs, monitoring records, corrective actions, verification procedures and prerequisite programmes — against the current EHO inspection standard.
On-Site Audit
We visit your premises to verify that your documented HACCP system matches your actual operation — checking records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules and staff practices against what the plan says.
Audit Report & Updated Documentation
You receive a risk-rated gap report with every finding clearly explained and prioritised. Where updates are required, we provide revised HACCP documentation ready to use immediately.
Why Businesses Choose Beacon
Got Questions?
We’ve Got Answers.
Under EU Regulation 852/2004, a HACCP plan must be reviewed whenever there is a significant change to the food operation — a new menu, new equipment, new suppliers, or a change in production process. Beyond these trigger events, annual review is considered best practice. EHO inspectors will assess whether your plan is current and whether it reflects how your kitchen actually operates at the time of inspection.
Any significant change to your food operation should trigger a HACCP review. This includes: introducing new dishes or changing your menu significantly; changing a key supplier for a high-risk ingredient; installing new kitchen equipment or reconfiguring your kitchen layout; changing your production processes; introducing a new service type (for example, moving from dine-in to cook-chill catering); or receiving an EHO observation or improvement notice that relates to your food safety management system.
A Beacon HACCP audit involves a review of your existing HACCP documentation — the hazard analysis, CCPs, monitoring procedures, corrective action records and verification activities — followed by an on-site visit to verify that your documented system reflects your actual operation. We produce a risk-rated findings report and, where your plan requires updating, we provide revised documentation as part of the service.
You can — but most food business operators do not have the technical food safety knowledge to carry out a complete HACCP review to the standard EHO inspectors expect. A hazard analysis requires an understanding of microbiological, chemical and physical food safety risks specific to your menu and processes. An incorrectly updated HACCP plan can give false confidence. We recommend working with a qualified food safety consultant for any significant HACCP review.
Where an EHO inspector identifies significant non-compliance with HACCP requirements, they can issue an improvement notice requiring remediation within a specified timeframe — typically 14 to 30 days. If the non-compliance represents an imminent risk to public health, a prohibition order can be issued immediately. Following an improvement notice, an inspector will return to verify that the required changes have been made. Contact us immediately if you have received an EHO notice relating to your HACCP system.
Not Sure if Your HACCP Plan Is Still Current?
Book a free call. We'll tell you what a HACCP review covers for your type of business — no charge, no obligation.
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