Presenting ADDE Compliance Evidence During Audits and Bid Evaluations
Auditors and evaluators expect verifiable proof of allergen management, not claims. An internal allergen audit verifies that procedures are effective and traceable across supplier data, recipes, menus, and staff training.
Key Evidence Review Points
The table below outlines essential evidence types and what reviewers expect to see:
| Evidence Type | What Reviewers Look For | Example Artifact |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier Specifications | Signed allergen declarations, change notifications, facility cross-contact statements. | PDFs with signature/date, supplier change notice, allergen matrix. |
| Recipe Composition | Ingredients linked to recipes, sub-recipe handling, allergen inheritance. | Recipe exports with Top 9 allergens mapped to sources. |
| Menu Publication | Menus reflect latest allergen data across FOH and digital channels. | Timestamped digital menu screenshots + archived printed menus. |
| Audit Trail | Time-stamped logs of edits, approvers, and publication events. | CSV/export showing “who/what/when” with version IDs. |
| Training Records | Completion logs, refreshers, role-specific modules across sites. | Dashboard screenshot, attendance, micro-learning schedules. |
| Operational Controls | SOPs for substitutions, cross-contact prevention, and guest communication. | Excerpts from SOPs, substitution approval templates. |
Digital Food Data Systems and Audit Readiness
Modern digital food data management systems ensure that any supplier or recipe change automatically updates menus across all locations. During internal audits or inspections, this guarantees staff have the most current allergen information, reducing errors and providing verifiable evidence that menus are consistent with supplier declarations and training records.
Version Control Principles
| Principle | Implementation | Common Pitfall |
|---|---|---|
| Immutable History | Log edits with user, timestamp, version ID; prevent manual overwrites. | Editable spreadsheets with no changelog. |
| Point-in-Time Proof | Archive menus per publication; retain audit export. | Only current menus available; no historical record. |
| Linked Evidence | Menus map to supplier specs and recipe versions. | Detached screenshots with no source linkage. |
| Substitution Governance | Require manager approval and logging; trigger republishing. | Temporary swaps unrecorded. |
| Training Recency | Track completion dates and refreshers for all roles/sites. | One-off induction only; no ongoing learning evidence. |
Internal audits strengthen accountability and ensure your team is inspection-ready while maintaining ADDE compliance.
Make Your Compliance Evidence Reviewer-Ready
Use integrated tools to bundle supplier specs, recipes, menus, training, and audit logs. Ensure time-stamped, verifiable evidence for inspectors and bid evaluators.
Talk to an Expert Explore ADDE Resources Read the LegislationContext: The ADDE Act (SB-68) requires restaurant chains with 20 or more U.S. locations to disclose allergens accurately and maintain verifiable records by July 1, 2026.