There is an increasing customer demand to know where food has come from and to be assured of its safety. This means that throughout the food chain, producers and suppliers must meet a growing number of food safety standards such as HACCP and International Food Standard (IFS), as well as broader initiatives such as the Global Food Safety Initiative of the European Retailers.
Globalisation of the food trade further complicates food safety and the new edition of ISO 22000 on food safety management systems presents a timely response.
ISO 22000:2018 Food safety management systems, takes a precautionary approach to food safety by helping to identify, prevent and reduce foodborne hazards in the food and feed chains.
The new edition brings clarity of understanding for the thousands of companies worldwide that already used the standard. Its latest improvements include:
• Adoption of the High-Level Structure common to all ISO management system standards, making it easier for organisations to combine ISO 22000 with other management systems (such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001) at a given time
• A new approach to risk – as a vital concept in the food business – which distinguishes between risk at the operational level and the business level of the management system
• Strong links to the Codex Alimentarius, a United Nations food group that develops food safety guidelines for governments
The new standard offers a dynamic control of food safety hazards combining the following generally recognised key elements: interactive communication, systems management, Prerequisite Programmes (PRPs), and the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
ISO 22000:2018 cancels and replaces ISO 22000:2005. Organisations certified to the standard have three years from the date of publication to transition to the new version. Speak to one of our ISO specialists today.
