What is ISO 22000 standard?
ISO 22000 is the International Food Safety Management Standard. It combines and supplements the core elements of ISO 9001 and HACCP to provide an effective framework for the development, implementation and continual improvement of a Food Safety Management System (FSMS). ISO 22000 aligns with other management systems, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, to enable effective systems integration.
The design and implementation of an organisation’s ISMS is influenced by their needs and objectives, security requirements, the processes employed and the size and structure of the organisation.
These and their supporting systems are expected to change over time. It is expected that an ISMS implementation will be scaled in accordance with the needs of the organisation.
Principles of ISO 22000 standard
The management system of food safety (FSMS) ISO 22000: 2005 is based on 4 elements considered essential by the standard to ensure food safety at all levels of the food chain: Interactive communication, the systemic approach (management system), the prerequisite programs (prerequisite programs) and HACCP principles.
Interactive Communication : ISO 22000 emphasizes the importance of communication between the organization and its customers, suppliers, employees in an effort to identify and control all relevant hazards related to food safety at all food chain.
Emphasis was placed on the notion of belonging to the company in the food chain to ensure effective interactive communication at all levels of it: It is essential that the role and place of organism in the food chain are clearly identified.
Interactive communication between the various actors at all levels of the chain is essential to ensure that all relevant hazards are identified and properly controlled.
Paragraphs dealing with the communication of data relating to food safety, both downstream than upstream, were drafted in order to balance between transparency and confidentiality useful information from each entity of the chain.
Systemic approach : The management system has its origin in ISO 9001: 2000. It allows the planning and updating of the system. This principle is based on the integration of all management systems of food safety in a structured management system which takes account of other general management of the organization.
ISO 22000 is based on the principle of Deming wheel and continuous improvement loop type PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) which is now recognized as a principle of managerial conduct after simple and universal have demonstrated its effectiveness.
HACCP and prerequisite programs (PRP) : ISO 22000 faithfully reproduces the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis – Critical Control Points) and the implementation stages developed by the Codex Alimentarius. It combines a dynamic and intelligent program prerequisites (PRP).
The standard recognizes that the hazard analysis is the backbone of any effective FSMS.
Control measures are classified into two categories:
- Operational PRP: PRP identified by the hazard analysis as essential for the control of hazards related to food safety.
- CCP (critical control point): Step on which a control measure can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a hazard to food safety or reduced to acceptable levels.
Benefits of ISO 22000 standard
- Customer satisfaction – through delivery of products that consistently meet customer requirements including quality, safety and legality
- Reduced operating costs – through continual improvement of processes and resulting operational efficiencies
- Operational efficiencies – by integrating pre-requisite programs (PRP’s & OPRP’s), HACCP with the Plan-Do-Check-Act philosophies of ISO 9001 to increase the effectiveness of the Food Safety Management System
- Improved stakeholder relationships – including staff, customers and suppliers
- Legal compliance – by understanding how statutory and regulatory requirements impact the organization and its customers and testing compliance through internal audits and management reviews
- Improved risk management – through greater consistency and traceability of product
- Proven business credentials – through independent verification against recognized standards
- Ability to win more business – particularly where procurement specifications require certification as a condition to supply
