About this course
About this course
This two-day virtual programme qualifies auditors to assess conformity against the BRCGS Gluten-Free Certification Programme Issue 4, the recognised assurance scheme for products marketed to consumers with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Who should attend
The course is aimed at experienced technical staff preparing to take on second-party or third-party audit work, consultants supporting clients through gluten-free certification, and senior quality managers with substantial prior audit experience. Some exposure to auditing against a BRCGS Standard is recommended. Brand-owner technical staff auditing gluten-free suppliers as part of supplier approval programmes also benefit from the content, as do auditors from certification bodies adding the Programme to their existing BRCGS scope.
What the programme covers
Day one revisits the Programme at clause level with attention to the evidence auditors most commonly struggle to assess: cleaning validation, analytical verification, supplier approval for gluten-free ingredients and labelling control. Day two covers audit technique in the specific context of allergen-restricted manufacturing, including sampling strategy, interview technique, non-conformity writing and reporting. Practical audit exercises test technique against simulated site scenarios. The programme addresses the specific audit challenges of gluten-free certification, including how to assess cleaning validation data credibility, how to handle the interface with customer-specific additional requirements, and how to apply consistent judgement across sites with very different production configurations.
Assessment and certification
The course combines a written examination with a practical audit exercise. A pass earns the official BRCGS Certificate of Achievement, the recognised qualification for auditors registered to the Gluten-Free Programme.
Course format and delivery
The programme runs over two consecutive days in a live virtual format with a BRCGS Approved senior trainer. Sessions combine methodology teaching with structured audit exercises, peer feedback and case study discussion from real audit findings. Delegates complete pre-course reading and receive detailed audit technique guidance for reference after the programme.
Why this matters
Gluten-free audits require technique that sits between standard BRCGS food safety auditing and specialist allergen auditing. Formal training improves consistency across auditors and reduces the rate of findings overturned during appeal. It also supports the credibility of the audit report with brand owners and retailers, many of whom increasingly specify Gluten-Free Programme certification for supplier approval of gluten-free SKUs. The programme is most valuable when taken after the Food Safety Issue 9 Auditor Training and the BRCGS Internal Auditor qualification. For wider technical capability in allergen management, the BRCGS HACCP programme provides a useful foundation.
See the full BRCGS courses and training catalogue for related programmes or contact the team to discuss enrolment.
