ISO 22000 Food Safety
The ISO 22000 food safety standard sets out the requirements for a “Food Safety Management System”. It facilitates its implementation and certification by any organisation within the food chain.
The food safety certificate guarantees the implementation of good food hygiene and food safety practices. In addition to the ISO 22000 standard, there are the IFS, BRC and GMP+ standards.
The successive food crises that have arisen in recent years, coupled with the ever-increasing volume of legal requirements imposed on both food producers and distributors, have created a complex and challenging environment within the food industry. Furthermore, the need to establish and maintain greater trust among the various stakeholders that make up the food chain – from farmers and manufacturers to retailers and end consumers – has highlighted the importance of reviewing and updating the existing standard. This revision is essential to ensure that the standard is fit for purpose in the face of current challenges, enabling more effective risk management and guaranteeing the quality and safety of the food that reaches consumers’ tables.
Contents of ISO 22000
ISO 22000 includes:
- Key concepts, especially those related to hazard analysis and critical control points, as well as the most relevant aspects of prerequisite programmes.
- Terms and definitions used in the standard.
- A simpler and more concise structure, avoiding overly prescriptive content.
- Greater coverage for SMEs.
- The new high-level structure and format, known as Annex SL, which other management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 and others are also adopting. This makes it easier to integrate different management systems based on common requirements and principles.