Overview

ISO 22000 describes the requirements for operating an effective food safety management system integrating the use of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) techniques and defined prerequisites for the safe production of food.

The ISO 22000 model is a systematic approach to developing, planning, validating, establishing, implementing, monitoring, verifying and improving the food safety management system. Implementation is split down into several distinct stages including:

Management responsibility

This section of the standard is designed to enable top management to establish and maintain commitment to the development and improvement of a food safety management system.

The need for measurable objectives is intended to support top management understanding how the food safety management system is performing and therefore what improvements and updating may be required to enable the ongoing production of safe food.

• Food Safety Policy: Establish a policy that is appropriate to the role of the organization in the food chain ensuring it conforms to both statutory and regulatory requirements and agreed food safety requirements of customers.
• Objectives: Establish measurable objectives relating to food safety in support of the food safety policy.

System definition

• Define the scope of the food safety management system in terms of products, activities and sites.
• Documented food safety management system.
• Development of internal and external communication on food safety issues with relevant interested parties.
• Development of a food safety management system that enables all food safety hazards to be identified and controlled.
• Establish procedures to manage potential emergency situations that can impact food safety.

Responsibilities

• Responsibilities and authorities defined and communicated. Appointment of a food safety team leader and establish a food safety team.
• Review the continued suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the food safety management system at planned intervals and identify opportunities for improvement and updating of the system.
• Resources: Provide adequate resources for the development, maintenance, updating and improvement of the food safety system.

Resources

• Provide adequate resources for the development, maintenance, updating and improvement of the food safety system.

Planning and realization of safe products

• All relevant information needed to conduct the hazard analysis shall be collected, maintained, updated and documented.
• The food safety team shall conduct a hazard analysis to determine which hazards need to be controlled.
• A combination of control measures shall be put in place and managed through pre requisite programmes and/or by HACCP plans.
• Traceability systems will need to be implemented to enable the identification of product lots/batches back through to raw materials and delivery records in the event that recall or withdrawal is warranted.
• There shall be procedures in place to handle potentially unsafe products, withdrawals, disposal.

Benefits of ISO 22000 Certification

• Applies to all organizations in the global food supply chain.
• Internationally recognized standard.
• Complies with the Codex HACCP principles.
• An auditable standard which provides a framework for third-party certification.
• The structure aligns with the management system clauses of ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.
• System approach, rather than product approach.
• Improved documentation.
• Systematic management of prerequisite programs.
• Increased due diligence.
• Dynamic communication on food safety issues with suppliers, customers, regulatory bodies and other interested parties.