What is ISO 22000 - The Food Safety Management Standard?

ISO 22000 is an international standard for Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS). It specifies the requirements for organisations to control food safety hazards and ensure that food is safe for consumption.

The standard integrates interactive communication, system management, prerequisite programs, and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles. It applies to all organisations in the food chain, including farmers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

ISO 22000 helps organisations manage food safety hazards effectively, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and enhancing food safety from ‘farm to fork.’

How long does ISO 22000 take to get?

The duration for obtaining ISO 22000 is likely to depend on the activities that the company is involved in and how well it currently meets regulatory requirements.  It should be appreciated that obtaining ISO 22000 registration is likely to take longer for a larger company than it would for a smaller business.

Typical duration for obtaining registration would be anything between six months to a year.

What companies would typically need the ISO 22000?

Companies involved in any aspect of the food chain would typically need ISO 22000 certification. This includes:

  • Food producers and manufacturers
  • Food processors
  • Transporters and distributors
  • Storage and warehousing facilities
  • Retailers and wholesalers
  • Catering services
  • Any organisation involved in the food supply chain

What are the benefits of ISO 22000?

The benefits of ISO 22000 certification include:

  • Enhanced Food Safety: Ensures that food safety hazards are identified and controlled.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Helps comply with food safety regulations and legal requirements.
  • Improved Customer Confidence: Demonstrates a commitment to food safety, enhancing customer trust.
  • Operational Efficiency: Optimises processes, reducing risks, and increasing efficiency.
  • Market Access: Facilitates access to international markets by meeting global food safety standards.
  • Cost Reduction: Streamlines food safety processes, reducing errors, recalls, and waste.
  • Employee Engagement: Improves employee morale by working for a company committed to quality and safety.
  • Competitive Edge: Enhances the company’s reputation and provides an edge over competitors without certification.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

HACCP is a systematic approach to food safety that identifies, evaluates, and controls hazards significant to food safety. It focuses on preventing hazards rather than relying on end-product testing. The HACCP system is based on seven principles:

  1. Conduct a hazard analysis: Identify potential hazards that could occur in the food production process.
  2. Determine critical control points (CCPs): Points in the process where control is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard.
  3. Establish critical limits: Set maximum or minimum values to which biological, chemical, or physical parameters must be controlled at a CCP.
  4. Establish monitoring procedures: Determine how to monitor the CCPs to ensure they stay within the critical limits.
  5. Establish corrective actions: Define actions to be taken when monitoring indicates that a CCP is not within the established limits.
  6. Establish verification procedures: Activities to confirm that the HACCP system is working effectively.
  7. Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures: Maintain records of all procedures and monitoring to ensure traceability and accountability.

 

In the UK, food businesses are required to have a food safety management system based on HACCP principles. This is mandated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and is essential for compliance with food safety regulations. [1]

PRPs (Prerequisite Programs)

PRPs are basic conditions and activities necessary to maintain a hygienic environment throughout the food chain. They support the HACCP system by addressing the general conditions essential for the production of safe food [2]. Examples of PRPs include:

  • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs): Standards for the production and testing of food products.
  • Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs): Procedures for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and facilities.
  • Pest control: Measures to prevent pest infestations.
  • Supplier control: Ensuring that raw materials are sourced from reputable suppliers.
  • Personal hygiene: Ensuring that employees follow hygiene practices to prevent contamination.

Who needs HACCP and PRPs?

In the UK, HACCP and PRPs are essential for any company involved in the food industry, including:

  • Food manufacturers: To ensure the safety of their products from raw material procurement to finished product distribution.
  • Food processors: To control hazards during processing stages.
  • Food service providers: Restaurants, catering services, and other food service establishments to ensure food safety for consumers.
  • Retail food stores: Supermarkets and grocery stores to maintain food safety standards [3].

Importance of HACCP and PRPs

  • Preventing foodborne illnesses: By identifying and controlling hazards, HACCP and PRPs help prevent contamination and foodborne illnesses.
  • Compliance with regulations: In the UK, food businesses must implement HACCP and PRPs to comply with food safety regulations set by the Food Safety Agency [4].
  • Consumer trust: Ensuring food safety helps maintain consumer confidence and trust in food products.
  • Reducing recalls: Effective HACCP and PRPs can minimize the risk of food recalls due to contamination or safety issues.

 

Implementing HACCP and PRPs is crucial for maintaining high food safety standards and protecting public health in the UK [1].

Here is an example of a HACCP plan in a food manufacturer’s business:

Example HACCP Plan for Ready-to-Eat Sandwiches

1. Conduct a Hazard Analysis

  • Ingredients: Bread, cooked meats, cheese, vegetables, condiments.
  • Potential Hazards:
    • Biological: Pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli.
    • Chemical: Residues from cleaning agents.
    • Physical: Foreign objects like metal fragments.

2. Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs)

  • CCP1: Receiving raw materials (e.g., meats and vegetables).
  • CCP2: Cooking meats to the required internal temperature.
  • CCP3: Assembling sandwiches in a hygienic environment.
  • CCP4: Chilling and storage of finished products.

3. Establish Critical Limits

  • CCP1: Ensure raw materials are received at safe temperatures (e.g., below 5°C for meats).
  • CCP2: Cook meats to an internal temperature of at least 75°C.
  • CCP3: Maintain assembly area at a temperature below 10°C.
  • CCP4: Store finished sandwiches at or below 5°C.

4. Establish Monitoring Procedures

  • CCP1: Check and record temperatures of incoming raw materials.
  • CCP2: Use a calibrated thermometer to check the internal temperature of cooked meats.
  • CCP3: Monitor and record the temperature of the assembly area.
  • CCP4: Regularly check and record storage temperatures.

5. Establish Corrective Actions

  • CCP1: Reject raw materials that do not meet temperature requirements.
  • CCP2: Continue cooking meats until the required temperature is reached.
  • CCP3: Investigate and rectify any temperature deviations in the assembly area.
  • CCP4: Move sandwiches to a properly functioning cooler if storage temperatures exceed limits.

6. Establish Verification Procedures

  • CCP1: Periodic audits of supplier temperature records.
  • CCP2: Regular calibration of thermometers.
  • CCP3: Routine checks of assembly area temperature logs.
  • CCP4: Verification of storage temperature records.

7. Establish Record-Keeping and Documentation Procedures

  • CCP1: Maintain records of raw material temperature checks.
  • CCP2: Keep logs of cooking temperatures.
  • CCP3: Document assembly area temperature monitoring.
  • CCP4: Store records of storage temperature checks.

Importance of This HACCP Plan

  • Prevents Foodborne Illnesses: By controlling hazards at critical points, the risk of contamination is minimized.
  • Ensures Compliance: Meets UK food safety regulations set by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
  • Maintains Consumer Trust: Demonstrates a commitment to food safety, enhancing consumer confidence.

 

This example illustrates how a HACCP plan can be tailored to a specific food manufacturing process, ensuring the safety and quality of the final product. If you have any more questions or need further details, feel free to ask!

How can Statius help?

Statius Management Services Ltd offers comprehensive consultancy services to help companies achieve and maintain ISO 22000 certification. Our services include:

  • Gap Analysis: Identifying current gaps in the food safety management system and developing a plan to address them.
  • System Development: Assisting in the development and implementation of an ISO 22000 compliant FSMS.
  • Training: Providing comprehensive training programs to build awareness and competence among staff.
  • Internal Audits: Conducting internal audits to ensure the system is functioning effectively and meeting ISO 22000 requirements.
  • Certification Support: Guiding companies through the certification process, ensuring all requirements are met and proper documentation is in place.
  • Ongoing Support: Offering continuous support after certification to adapt to regulatory changes and consistently improve food safety practices.

 

Statius Management Services Ltd is dedicated to guiding businesses through every step of the ISO 22000 certification process, ensuring food safety protocols are effective and compliant. Our expertise and industry-specific knowledge make the journey toward certification smooth and impactful.

Clearly, given the certification process you will need to show:

  • You are reducing your environmental footprint.
  • You are setting and (ideally) meeting your environmental objectives targets and improvements.
    • Alternatively, if not, why not?  There are probably good reasons.
  • You continue to learn from problems and issues (non conformances).
  • You continue to comply with environmental law.
  • You are undertaking environmental audits to ensure processes are delivering.
  • You are holding management review meetings which drive environmental improvement actions.
  • You update and develop the management system in response to any changes.

 

Obviously, the chosen assessment agency will also check at least annually that your environmental processes and practises remain in place and robust with an external audit.

 

For more information, email us or book a free consultation with one of our expert consultants.