Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Introduction to ISO 22000:2005
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed
the ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management Systems Standard.
Officially called ISO 22000:2005, Food safety management systems -
Requirements for any organization in the food chain, ISO 22000:2005
is an international standard and defines the requirements of a food
safety management system covering all organizations in the food chain
from “farm to fork”, including catering and packaging companies.
There has been a continuous increase in consumer demand for safe
food. This has led to the development of numerous food safety
standards. The growing number of national standards for food safety
management has led to confusion. Consequently, there is a need for
international harmonization and ISO aims to meet this need with
ISO 22000:2005.
The standard combines generally recognized key elements to ensure
food safety along the food chain including: interactive communication;
system management; control of food safety hazards through pre-requisite programs and HACCP plans; and continual improvement and
updating of the management system.
ISO 22000:2005 is intended to define the requirements for companies
that desire to exceed the regulatory requirements for food safety.
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Who is it for?
A truly international standard for any business in the entire food chain
from 'farm to fork' and including inter-related organizations such as
producers of equipment, packaging material, cleaning agents,
additives and ingredients. ISO 22000:2005 is also for companies
seeking to integrate their quality management system, for example
ISO 9001:2008, and their food safety management system.
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Benefits of adoption
Certifying your food management system against the requirements of
ISO 22000:2005 will bring the following benefits to your organization:
- Applies to all organizations in the global food supply chain.
- A truly global international standard.
- Provides potential for harmonization of national standards.
- Covers the majority of the requirements of the current retailer
food safety standards.
- Complies with the Codex HACCP principles.
- Provides communication of HACCP concepts internationally.
- An auditable standard which provides a framework for third-party certification.
- Auditable standard with clear requirements.
- Suitable for regulators.
- The structure aligns with the management system clauses of
ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.
Specific benefits include:
- System approach, rather than product approach.
- Resource optimization - internally and along the food chain.
- All control measures subjected to hazard analysis.
- Better planning, less post process verification.
- Improved documentation.
- Systematic management of prerequisite programs.
- Increased due diligence.
- Dynamic communication on food safety issues with suppliers,
customers,
- regulators and other interested parties.
- A systematic and proactive approach to identification of food
safety hazards
- and development and implementation of control measures.
Introduction to HACCP based Food Management
Systems
To ensure that food safety risks are minimized, food sector businesses
need to operate a food safety management system. With so many food
safety regulations to comply with along with demanding customer
requirements, many businesses do not know where to start.
Today management systems need to take into account not only basic
food regulations and acceptable workplace practices, but include
contingency plans for potential crises such as product recall. All these
types of practices form the basis of a food safety management system.
A common foundation for building a food safety management system
is based on HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
methodology.
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HACCP based Food Safety Management Systems
HACCP is widely accepted as an essential tool for managing food
safety especially when combined with an auditable management
system. The principles of HACCP are traceable to the Codex
Alimentarius Commission which was created to develop food
standards, guidelines and codes of practice by the Joint FAO/WHO
(Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization) Food
Standards Program for the United Nations. The Global Food Safety
Initiative, made up of global food retailers, has recognized HACCP as a
fundamental element of food safety systems. HACCP is a key
component of numerous food safety standards.
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Benefits of a HACCP based Food Safety Management
System
Food safety management systems built in accordance with the
principles of HACCP have a clearly defined structure.
Process Based System: Business will benefit from a clear definition of
processes and procedures. Effective communication and continual
process improvement are the cornerstones of a functioning
management system.
Customer and Consumer Confidence: A controlled food operating
environment and effectively implemented and applied food safety
system will improve customer and consumer confidence in the safety
of food.
Risk Management: It uses a systematic approach covering all aspects
of food production from raw materials, processing, distribution, point of
sale to consumption and beyond. It moves a company from a solely
retrospective end product testing and sampling approach towards a
preventative approach that is designed to reduce product losses and
liabilities.
Management Responsibility: It enables management throughout a business to demonstrate their commitment to the production and
supply of safe products and within facility environments that are
favorable for the production or supply of safe food.
Relationship Improvement: To enhance the relationships between
organizations in the food chain, customers and enforcement agencies.
Records: Record-keeping enables a more efficient and effective
government and customer oversight, and allows investigators to see
how well a firm is complying with food safety laws over a period of time
rather than how well it is doing on any given day. The documentation
within a food safety system facilitates the inspection activities of food
inspectors.
Legal Protection: It has been widely accepted that HACCP based
systems present the food industry with the most effective management
tool to enable the production and supply of safe food. As such, the
adoption of this approach can offer a legal defense in the event of an
outbreak of food borne diseases.
Trading Benefit: HACCP based approaches are a benefit to
companies seeking to meet customer and legal requirements whether
in the domestic or for the export market.
Alignment with other management systems: HACCP based food
safety management systems can be combined with other
management systems such as ISO 9001:2008. This combination
provides a hazard analysis approach with pre-requisite programs
along with a framework to manage a food safety system.
To verify the effectiveness of food safety management systems,
businesses use proven food safety standards and tools.
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ISO 22000:2005 - Food Safety Management System
Standard
Organizations like SABS, BSI provides auditing, certification and
training services for ISO 22000:2005.
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