Manufacturing
One of the most critical challenges faced by food manufacturers is product safety because food is vulnerable to deterioration. Risk starts with the wide variety of raw materials and ingredients sourced from diverse suppliers in combination with global and complex supply chains. Releasing unsafe food into the market can have a major impact on public health and result in a loss of consumer confidence, and damage brand reputation.
FSSC 22000 is a risk-based food safety management system that provides a robust solution to meet this challenge through third-party certification. Getting certified supports effective management for controlling food safety hazards, minimizing risks, and assuring the production of safe food.
ISO Standards
Using ISO standards (International Organization for Standardization): ISO 22000 for food safety management; and ISO/TS 22002-1, which are requirements for prerequisite programs for food manufacturing, plus additional FSSC 22000 requirements for certification, FSSC 22000 can ensure consistent, high-quality audits that are monitored by an integrity program for measuring and maintaining food safety management worldwide.
"SSAFE is proud to be a member of the FSSC Board of Stakeholders. The strength of the FSSC 22000 program helps advance food safety around the world – something which SSAFE supports and encourages. The continued improvement of food safety systems across the entire food supply chain is important to help drive confidence and build trust that food is safe to trade and consume. FSSC plays an important role in helping to establish that trust.”SSAFE
Benefits of FSSC 22000 certification
- Protect your organization from risk with an international certification scheme for food safety management systems that is flexible enough to cover the entire supply chain.
- FSSC 22000 is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
- FSSC 22000 certification delivers high-quality and consistent audits monitored by a robust integrity program and verified by licensed Certification Bodies and qualified auditors.
- Free from biased leadership, FSSC 22000 is governed by a non-profit foundation and managed by an independent Board of Stakeholders.
- Within the ISO Management System Approach, FSSC 22000 can also integrate your food safety management system with other ISO Management Systems. These may include ISO 9001 Quality Management, ISO 14001 Environmental Management, ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management, and IS0/IEC 27001 Information Security Management.
- FSSC 22000 incorporates ISO 22000 (for Food Safety Management Systems), which includes the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Principles of Codex Alimentarius and ISO/TS 22002-1 (the sector-specific pre-requisite requirements for food manufacturing), with the FSSC 22000 additional requirements.
- Manages quality through an optional quality management system certification, which integrates ISO 9001 with FSSC 22000-Quality.
- Helps you comply with local laws and regulations.
- Integration with FSSC 24000
Food Supply Chain Sectors
Scope
FSSC 22000 can be applied to all food manufacturing organizations, including:
- Cheese factories and slaughterhouses
- Grain factories and bakeries
- Fresh and Ready-to-eat food manufacturers
- Production of pet food for cats and dogs
- Production of Biochemicals (e.g., food and feed additives, vitamins, etc.).
- Canned food processing companies, and other manufactures food products with a long shelf life
Certification Process
FSSC 22000 requires that food safety practices be designed, documented, implemented, and managed to maintain reliable processes and conditions for producing safe food. At the same time, FSSC 22000 provides enough flexibility to effectively oversee diverse operations and materials. The following steps explain how to successfully earn certification.
Explore
- Download all the relevant requirements in the section Scheme on our website.
- Obtain all related normative standards: ISO 22000 and ISO/TS 22002-1 (www.iso.org).
Prepare
- Contact an FSSC 22000-licensed Certification Body.
- Implement the requirements and, if needed, perform a GAP analysis to identify conformance.
- Arrange an audit of your food safety management system and facilities by the Certification Body. Implement any corrective actions in case of non-conformities.
- Contact an FSSC 22000-licensed training organization for additional advice.
Certify
- Once the audit is deemed successful, the Certification Body will register the certificate.
- Annual surveillance audits are conducted to maintain certification (including one unannounced audit every three years).
- Recertification every three years.