What is ISO 22000:2018 –Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Certification?

ISO 22000 Certification is an international standard that defines the requirements of a food safety management system covering all organizations in the food chain from "farm to fork". The food chain consists of the entire sequence of stages and operations involved in the creation and consumption of food products. This includes every step from initial production to final consumption. More precisely, it includes the production, processing, distribution, storage, and handling of all food and food ingredients.

ISO 22000 requires that all hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in the food chain, are identified and assessed.ISO 22000 specifies the requirements for a food safety management system that involves interactive communication, system management, and integrates the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system with Prerequisite (PRP) & Operational prerequisite programmes (OPRP).

Why ISO 22000:2018 certification is important?

ISO 22000 sets out the requirements for a food safety management system and can be certified to it. It maps out what an organization needs to do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe.

ISO 22000 Certification is recognized throughout the global food chain and offers a way to become a supplier of choice. ISO 22000 certification adds on to the assurance of the customers in relation to food safety and publicly demonstrates your commitment to food safety.

ISO 22000 also aligns with other ISO management system standards like ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & ISO 45001, making it easy to integrate your food safety management with these standards.

What are the benefits of ISO 22000:2018 certification?

• Build stakeholder engagement and brand reputation
• Identifies and prevents hazards from contaminating food
• Identify, manage and mitigate food safety risks.
• Reduce and eliminate product recalls and litigation
• A preventative approach to food safety management
• Reduces the need for, and the cost of end product testing
• Provides evidence of due diligence
• Enhances customer satisfaction and reduces dissatisfaction
• Facilitates better understanding of food safety issues throughout the organization.

Who can acquire ISO 22000:2018 certification?

This ISO 22000 certification is applicable for any organizations which involve in whole food supply chain, from growers , producers to processors , packaging, transport, and point of sale. It extends to suppliers of non-food products and services, like cleaning and equipment manufacturers, and can be used by organizations of any size.

This ISO 22000, can be implemented and certified by any  organization directly or indirectly involved in the food chain including- Farms, Fisheries and Dairies, Processors of Meats, Fish and Feed, including Manufacturers of soups, snacks, bread, cereal, beverages, canned and frozen food, etc as well as food service providers such as restaurants, fast food chains, hospitals and hotels.