Transforming Food Safety Audits with Digital Tools and AI

Episode Summary

Audits play a critical role in food safety, but they don’t have to be driven by fear. In this episode of Food Tech Talk: Supply Chain Insights from Farm to Fork, host Katy Jones, CEO of Trustwell, sits down with Lilia Rivera, Senior Product Manager at Trustwell, to discuss how empathy, trust, and technology are reshaping the audit process.

Drawing on her experience managing quality and audits at her family’s tropical fruit processing facility in Mexico, Lilia shares how seeing both sides of the audit process has influenced her approach to food safety and product development. She explains why audits are most effective when they encourage open communication and the human connection rather than simply identifying nonconformance.

The conversation explores how a strong food safety culture begins with psychological safety. When employees feel comfortable reporting issues and asking questions, organizations are better equipped to identify risks, strengthen corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), and drive continuous improvement. Lilia also discusses the connection between employee well-being, social responsibility, and consistent product quality.

Katy and Lilia examine how digital tools are modernizing supplier management and audit programs. From cloud-based documentation and desk audits to AI-assisted workflows, technology is helping organizations improve visibility, reduce administrative work, and strengthen supplier collaboration across the supply chain.

Whether you’re responsible for supplier compliance, quality assurance, or food safety, this episode offers practical strategies for building an audit program that supports transparency, continuous improvement, and stronger relationships throughout the food supply chain.