ISO 22000:2018 Certification (Food Safety Management)

ISO 22000:2018 is an international standard for food safety management that outlines requirements for a food safety management system. It is intended to help organizations in the food industry ensure that their products are safe for consumption. The standard covers all stages of the food chain, from primary production to final consumption, and includes requirements for management, prerequisites, and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles. Organizations that implement and are certified to ISO 22000:2018 can demonstrate to their customers and other stakeholders that they have a robust food safety management system.

This document specifies requirements for a food safety management system (FSMS) to enable an organization that is directly or indirectly involved in the food chain:

• To plan, implement, operate, maintain and update an FSMS providing products and services that are safe, in accordance with their intended use;
•  To demonstrate compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory food safety requirements;
• To evaluate and assess mutually agreed customer food safety requirements and to demonstrate conformity with them;
• To effectively communicate food safety issues to interested parties within the food chain;
•  To ensure that the organization conforms to its stated food safety policy;
•  To demonstrate conformity to relevant interested parties;
•  To seek certification or registration of its FSMS by an external organization, or make a self-assessment or self-declaration of conformity to this document.

The process of implementing and becoming certified to ISO 22000:2018  

following steps:

•  Assess the organization's current food safety management system to determine any gaps or areas for improvement.
• Develop a food safety management system that meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018. This includes creating policies and procedures, identifying hazards and implementing controls to mitigate them, and establishing a system for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the rules.
• Implement the food safety management system throughout the organization and train all employees on its requirements.
•  Conduct internal audits to ensure that the food safety management system is being followed and is effective.
• Seek certification from a third-party certification body. This involves an assessment of the organization's food safety management system by a trained auditor to ensure that it meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018.
• After successful certification, Organizations need to maintain their certification through regular surveillance audits and re-certification audits every three years.

Benefits of ISO 22000:2018

There are several benefits to implementing and becoming certified to ISO 22000:2018 for organizations
in the food industry:

•  Improved food safety: By implementing a food safety management system that meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018, organizations can better identify and control food safety hazards, which can lead to a reduction in food safety incidents and recalls.
•  Increased customer confidence: Certification to ISO 22000:2018 demonstrates to customers and other stakeholders that the organization has a robust food safety management system in place, which can increase customer confidence in the safety and quality of the organization's products.
• Enhanced reputation: Organizations that are certified to ISO 22000:2018 can use their certification as a marketing tool, which can enhance the reputation of the organization and its products.
•  Compliance with regulations: ISO 22000:2018 is recognized globally and it can help organizations to comply with local and international food safety regulations and laws.
•  Improved efficiency: By implementing a food safety management system, organizations can identify and address inefficiencies and improve their overall operations, which can lead to cost savings.
• Improved supply chain management: By implementing the standard it will help organizations to have better control over their suppliers and sub-contractors, which can lead to a more efficient and safer supply chain.

Accreditation and certification are related to ISO 22000:2018.

Accreditation refers to the process by which an independent third-party organization, known as an accreditation body, assesses and certifies the competence of certification bodies. Accreditation bodies are responsible for ensuring that certification bodies meet specific requirements and are capable of
providing valid certifications.

Certification, on the other hand, is the process by which a certification body assesses and certifies that an organization's food safety management system meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018. 

Certification bodies are accredited by accreditation bodies to perform this assessment. In practice, organizations seeking certification to ISO 22000:2018 will work with a certification body that is accredited by an accreditation body. The certification body will conduct an assessment of the organization's food safety management system and, if it meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018, will issue a certificate of compliance.

It is important to note that the certification is the only way to prove that the organization's food safety management system meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018, but accreditation ensures that the certification body is competent to perform the assessment and issue the certificate.

ISO 22000:2018 Does it really work

ISO 22000:2018 is a well-established standard for food safety management and has been widely adopted by organizations in the food industry. It is based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) which is widely recognized as an effective approach to food safety management. Organizations that implement a food safety management system that meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018 are better able to identify and control food safety hazards, which can
lead to a reduction in food safety incidents and recalls.

However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of a food safety management system depends on the specific implementation and ongoing maintenance of the system by the organization. Certification does not guarantee food safety, It's an indication that the organization has implemented a food safety management system that meets the requirements of ISO 22000:2018, but the organization must continue to monitor and review the system to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.

In addition, it is essential that the certification body that performs the assessment and issues the certificate is accredited by an accreditation body to ensure the validity of the certification.

Overall, while ISO 22000:2018 can be a useful tool for improving food safety, it is not a guarantee of food safety, It's a tool that organizations can use to improve their food safety management systems and demonstrate their commitment to food safety to customers and other stakeholders.