Hans Kissle Food Co., Haverhill, Mass., said it recently scored 99.9 on a 100-point audit by Chicago-basedSilliker Inc., a global auditing firm.

Hans Kissle processes refrigerated salads, (including, potato, pasta, and specialty salads), prepared foods, desserts, deli meats, and holiday dinner kits. The company operates one plant in Haverhill.

Officials said Hans Kissle’s high score earned one of Silliker’s Audit Platinum Awards, which are reserved for the companies with the highest scores from among all Silliker audits each year. In 2009, Silliker conducted several thousand GMP / food safety audits in North America alone and only awarded 10 Platinum Awards to food processors.

“Food safety and quality is what Hans Kissle has been built on," said Hans Kissle Plant Manager Robin Beane. "They are the top priority for everyone who works here, at every level. We spend a sizeable amount of time training all employees on all aspects of food safety.”

Beane said the Silliker audit involved a one-day, on-site inspection. It included an extensive review of all Hans Kissle documentation, including good manufacturing practices (GMP), food defense, food safety programs, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP), mock recall, and more. In addition, the auditor observed employees in the production area, to verify that the actual processes reflect Hans Kissle’s written plans and programs. The entire facility - from receiving through shipping - was inspected by the auditor.

“Silliker saw exactly what we do every single day here,” noted Bean. “It doesn’t matter if we’re being audited by the state, FDA, USDA, a third party, or no one at all. We always operate at the same level. Our standards are very high, but we can maintain them because our team has a superior level of commitment. We work together in every aspect of our jobs, and we are extremely proud of our facility and the quality products we produce every day.”

Added Hans Kissle President Ken Venti, “We take extreme pride in the quality and safety of our products, and each and every one of our associates is responsible for ensuring that only the best products leave our facility. A Silliker audit is tough, and a 99.9 score is simply incredible.”