ISO 22000:2018
Food Safety Management System for Businesses in the Food Chain
QLC’s ISO 22000 certification consultants answer your questions
ISO 22000 is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), specifying the requirements that must be met by businesses involved in the food chain to ensure the safety of their products from production to consumption.
This international standard focuses exclusively on food safety and is essentially an evolution of the HACCP principles, introducing the following additional core components:
- The existence of fundamental conditions and activities to maintain an appropriate hygienic environment (prerequisites)
- The establishment of procedures for the effective management and updating of the system
- Effective communication among businesses in the food chain with suppliers, consumers, consultants, regulatory authorities, and any organization that may influence the company’s management system
ISO 22000 is intended for all businesses and organizations (private or public) within the food and feed chain, including service providers, subcontractors, and suppliers of equipment, packaging, cleaning agents, and other materials that may come into contact with food or feed.
It is particularly suitable for companies in the above sectors that aim to implement, beyond legal requirements, a comprehensive food safety management system, and to obtain a Certificate of Conformity from an Accredited Certification Body.
ISO 22000 incorporates the HACCP principles, so the implementation steps are similar to those of HACCP:
- Evaluating and improving infrastructure in line with legal requirements and international food safety standards, and determining the prerequisites (PRPs)
- Forming a food safety team with the knowledge and experience to develop and implement an effective system, and appointing a team leader
- Describing raw materials, ingredients, and materials that come into contact with food
- Describing the product and determining its intended and unintended uses
- Designing a flow diagram that includes all stages of the product’s production
- Verifying the flow diagram during production
- Identifying and assessing all potential hazards that may occur
- Determining preventive measures necessary to prevent or keep hazards within acceptable levels, and classifying them into operational prerequisite programs (OPRPs) and critical control points (CCPs)
- Defining critical limits for each CCP so that maintaining these limits ensures the CCP remains under control
- Implementing monitoring systems for CCPs and OPRPs
- Establishing corrections and corrective actions to be taken when monitoring shows that a particular CCP or OPRP is out of control
- Defining verification and validation procedures for the system
- Establishing additional procedures aimed at assisting in the system’s effective implementation
- Implementing an efficient system of documentation and record-keeping
- Training personnel
- Validating and implementing the system
- Reviewing and modifying the system if necessary
- Conducting an internal audit
This standard can be applied as a standalone system or as part of other management systems already implemented by the company.
The level of difficulty depends on the complexity of the company’s processes, the personnel available, and the organization’s engagement in the development process. Setting up the system requires the involvement of a specialized consultant or training staff with expertise in food safety. In general, the growing familiarity of specialized consultants with system development has contributed to creating functional systems that are easily implemented by businesses of any size.
Several certification bodies in Greece are accredited by the Hellenic Accreditation System (ESYD) or equivalent organizations to issue related certificates based on the company’s activities.
In general, the certification process begins with evaluating the company’s compliance with the legal requirements for the safety of its products, assessing the infrastructure, and reviewing the food safety management system. After the certification body issues a positive recommendation or the company resolves any deviations noted, an evaluation of the system’s implementation takes place.
If the standard’s requirements are met, the Certification Body issues a Certificate. In the event of significant deviations, corrective actions must be completed before the certificate is issued. Minor deviations must be resolved before the next assessment.
The Certificate is valid for three years, provided that the ISO 22000 requirements continue to be fulfilled, a compliance confirmed by the Certification Body typically via annual audits.
Key reasons businesses opt to certify an ISO 22000 system include:
- Competition and customer demands
- Obtaining an “accredited” Certificate of Conformity
- Restructuring the company
- Participating in public-sector tenders, where related certificates are part of the required documentation
Beyond these motivations, the added value of having a “third eye” in implementing and certifying a system can offer a competitive advantage for improving operational conditions and food-handling practices in a company.
If system certification is not essential for your operation, a basic HACCP system may be more suitable for your needs.
The time required for development, installation, and certification depends on the complexity of the company’s processes, the number of sites to be certified, the staff size, the company’s commitment, and any interventions needed to comply with infrastructure requirements. For small businesses with no major infrastructural changes needed and that fulfill legal requirements, the timeframe generally ranges from 1 to 6 months.