Abstract In the European Union, competent authorities are obligated to arrange audits to ensure that the official control (comprising meat and food safety inspections) in slaughterhouses is performed according to legislation. Previous information on the functionality of these audits and on non-conformities observed in the official control of slaughterhouses is limited. In this study, non-conformities of the official control of slaughterhouses and their correction were analysed from the internal audit reports of the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira. To further assess the benefits and needs for improvement of the audits, we conducted interviews with the chief official veterinarians (OVs) responsible for the controls in slaughterhouses and the auditors of Evira. According to our results, non-conformities, especially in the inspection of intestines of bovines and swine, were common. Regarding food safety inspections, OVs should develop their documentation, perform the follow-up of the correction of non-compliances more systematically, and improve the enforcement, especially in smaller red meat slaughterhouses. Based on our results, internal audits appeared to be beneficial, as non-conformities in the official control were noticed, most non-conformities were corrected or corrective measures had been taken, and the audits were assessed as necessary by both the auditors and auditees. Our results can be utilized in improving the official control and audit procedures in slaughterhouses. In the future, the uniformity of meat inspection could be improved by auditing also differences in the rejections and their reasons between official auxiliaries in post-mortem inspection.

中文翻译：

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通过内部审计发展屠宰场的官方控制

摘要 在欧盟，主管当局有义务安排审计，以确保屠宰场的官方控制（包括肉类和食品安全检查）依法执行。有关这些审核的功能以及屠宰场官方控制中观察到的不符合项的先前信息是有限的。本研究从芬兰食品安全局 Evira 的内部审计报告中分析了屠宰场官方控制的不符合项及其纠正。为了进一步评估改进审计的好处和需求，我们采访了负责屠宰场控制的首席官方兽医 (OV) 和 Evira 的审计员。根据我们的结果，不符合项，尤其是在牛、猪的肠道检查中，更是屡见不鲜。在食品安全检查方面，OV 应该建立他们的文件，更系统地跟踪不符合项的纠正，并加强执法，特别是在较小的红肉屠宰场。根据我们的结果，内部审核似乎是有益的，因为注意到官方控制中的不符合项，大多数不符合项已得到纠正或已采取纠正措施，并且审核员和受审核方都对审核进行了必要的评估。我们的结果可用于改进屠宰场的官方控制和审计程序。将来，