ISO 22000 Certification

Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 22000 sets out requirements for a food safety management system (FSMS) for any organisation in the food chain. The current edition is ISO 22000:2018 with amendment ISO 22000:2018/Amd 1:2024; ISO is currently revising the standard, and the 2018 edition remains applicable until a new edition is published.

The standard combines three core elements:

• The common ISO management system structure (High Level Structure under Annex SL, now called the Harmonized Structure), compatible with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and other standards for easy integration.
• HACCP principles developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for hazard analysis and control of significant hazards.
• Prerequisite programmes (PRPs) such as premises hygiene, pest control, equipment maintenance and personal hygiene.

ISO 22000:2018 applies risk-based thinking at two levels: the organisational level (business risks and opportunities) and the operational level (food safety hazards). It uses two nested PDCA cycles, one for the management system and one for HACCP-based operations. Control measures are classified as critical control points (CCPs) or operational prerequisite programmes (OPRPs).

ISO 22000 suits food businesses of every size, including upstream and downstream organisations:

• Primary production (crops, livestock) and feed production
• Food and beverage processing plants
• Catering and industrial kitchens
• Wholesale, retail, transport and storage
• Manufacturers of packaging, cleaning agents and additives
• Support services such as pest control or mechanical engineering

The standard is widely used worldwide. Note that ISO 22000 itself is not a GFSI-recognised scheme. FSSC 22000 – which combines ISO 22000, sector-specific prerequisite programmes (the ISO 22002 series) and additional FSSC requirements – is a separate, GFSI-recognised scheme. Companies already applying HACCP, IFS Food or BRCGS Food usually have many of the foundations in place for ISO 22000.

• Plan, implement, maintain and update a food safety management system that ensures traceability
• Establish and apply a food safety policy and objectives
• Communicate effectively with suppliers, customers, authorities and other parties in the food chain
• Meet customer and legal requirements and keep evidence of compliance
• Prepare for emergencies, control unsafe products and manage withdrawals or recalls
• Internal audits, management review and continual improvement

In February 2024 ISO published amendment ISO 22000:2018/Amd 1:2024 (part of the climate action amendments to many management system standards announced in a joint IAF–ISO statement): clause 4.1 now requires the organisation to determine whether climate change is a relevant issue, and a note to clause 4.2 states that interested parties can have climate-change-related requirements.