Gaining ISO 22000 Certification for your Food Safety Management System – Increasing confidence all along the food chain

These days gaining ISO 22000 Certification will almost certainly enhance an organizations’ business reputation. The ISO 22000 standard has now been approved as part of the Food Safety System Certification scheme by the Global Food Safety Initiative. It is a requirement for ISO 22000 certification that the food safety management system closely monitors process activities and implements actions for improvement.The ISO 22000:2005 food safety management system standard is now getting the recognition it deserves as a tool in improving food safety throughout the food chain.

Regardless of your organisations size or whether you supply products or services ISO 22000 food safety management system certification is appropriate.Ensuring Customer Satisfaction through your organisation’s Food Safety Management System is a key aim of the standard.In order to meet the requirements of the ISO 22000 standard an organisation should constantly measure its’ food safety processes and analyse the data for opportunities for improvement.

In order to achieve ISO 22000 Certification an organization should have a documented food safety management system and not a system of food safety documents.Food safety management system documents should have a practical use in either for communication, knowledge sharing or provide evidence that the food safety processes are conforming to requirements. Food safety management system ddocuments may be in any form or type of medium and the guidance in ISO 22004:2004 clause 4.2 gives paper, electronic or picture as examples but states in any valid form. In order to achieve ISO 22000 certification of its food safety management system an organization needs to address key elements of the standard..ISO 22000 section 4 dictates that the food management system should be documented and have compulsory procedures for document and record control including external documents.

ISO 22000 Section 5 states the requirements for Management Responsibility including a documented Food Safety Policy, commitment to the food safety management system, defined authority and the need for regular reviews. ISO 22000 clause 5.6 requires an organisation to ensure that sufficient information on issues concerning food safety is available throughout the food chain by establishing, implementing and maintaining effective arrangements for communication, by designated personnel, with suppliers and contractors, customers or consumers, statutory and regulatory authorities, other organizations that have an impact on the food safety management system. ISO 22000 Clause 5.6.1 requires an organisation to establish and maintain effective internal communication with personnel on issues having an impact on food safety and the food safety team to be informed in a timely manner of changes that may affect the food safety management system.

Section 6 of the ISO 22000 standard requires the food safety management system to address and review requirements for resources, human resources and training, infrastructure and work environment. Clause 7.1 describes the need for realisation of safe products by development and planning of food safety process.

It is very prescriptive of the information needed prior to conducting a hazard analysis. This information includes a food safety team, prerequisite programmes, characteristics of raw materials, ingredients and product contact materials, description of end products, intended use, flow diagrams, process steps and control measures. ISO 22000 requires that in conducting a hazard analysis an organisation needs to establish operational prerequisite programmes (PRPs), establish the HACCP plan then update the preliminary information. ISO 22000 Section 7 also has requirements for verification planning, a traceability system and control of nonconformity.

ISO 22000 Section 8 outlines the requirement to validate, verify and improve the food safety management system. The food safety team are required to plan and implement processes to validate control measure combinations, control of monitoring and measuring including calibration, then verify the food safety management system by methods including internal audit, evaluation of individual verification results and analysis of results of verification activities. The last requirements are to continually improve and update the food safety management system.

ISO 22000 certification for your food safety management system clearly demonstrates commitment to ensuring that food is safe for human consumption.The benefits of adopting a food safety management system compliant with ISO 22000 now outweigh any negatives by far.