The audits also provide an insight of what plant managers can expect when the inspectors call. The reports show how plants are assessed using a new risk-based strategy.

"These reports also provide guidance for food business operators to help ensure them meet their responsibilities for complying with legal requirements," the Food Standards Agency said.

However the details of breaches of legislation, personal information and data deemed to be commercially sensitive have been removed from the audit reports, the FSA stated.

The audit reports are from the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), following routine inspections of slaughterhouses and cutting plants. The MHS is responsible for the enforcement of food hygiene regulations in meat premises in Great Britain.

The MHS audit report does not include a plant's action plan, which sets out the short, medium and long term actions that will be taken to address any break down in food safety.

The FSA said the frequency of audit visits is determined using a risk based scoring system that takes account of the nature and range of business activities and also of the plant's compliance history.

The current risk based auditing system came into place on 1 January 2006 following the introduction of new food hygiene legislation.

For example an inspection of the Inverurie plant of Donald Russell on 14 August resulted in inspectors giving it a score of 100 using the risk-based scorecard.

As a result, the plant was classified as a 'Category III' facility, requiring an inspection at least once every five months.

The five-part category system requires more frequent inspections the higher up the scale a plant is rated. The Donald Russell plant is next scheduled for inspection on 14 January 2008.

The plant was previously inspected in March 2007 and received a score of 115, still in Category III. The company received a score of 125 at its 15 September 2006 audit.

Plants in the lowest-rated risk category need only be inspected at least once every 12 months. Those getting 185 plus points must be inspected every two months.

Due to the potential hasards most fresh meat establishments automatically start with at least 45 points and will therefore are not eligible to be in audit Category I.

Inspectors took spent 3.5 hours in inspecting the Donald Russell plant plus almost another five hours on paper work. The inspection covered the cutting plant, the meat preparations area, and processing facilities on the site.

The time factor is important as charges can be made to the plant for the inspections.

The other plant inspection reports published online are of those operated by Cranberry Food, Two Sisters and Bernard Matthews, the company at the heart of a bird flu outbreak this year.

The FSA said it would add additional reports online in the future.