ISO 22000 certificate – A Food Safety Management System
ISO 22000 certificate and preparation by Mind The Gap Cyprus. ISO 22000:2018 is the International Standard that specifies the general guidelines for an efficient Food Safety Management System (FSMS). ISO 22000 incorporates the widely used HACCP principles and Pre-Requisite Programs and defines requirements for organisations that either directly or indirectly involved in the food chain, in order to ensure that their products and services are safe for the final consumer!!
ISO 22000:2018 is the new version of the standard and it can be applied by any food organisation of any type. The standard’s primary goal is the prevention, elimination and control of foodborne hazards, from the site of production to the point of consumption.
BENEFITS OF ISO 22000:2018 CERTIFICATION
- Provides safe products according to their intended use
- Provides competitive advantage
- Reduces unnecessary costs and increases profit
- ISO 22000 certificate demonstrates compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory food safety requirements
- Wins new customers and improves the ability of the company for exports
- Enhances customers and other interested parties’ satisfaction
- Monitors business risks and opportunities related to food safety issues
- Provides scientific and technological knowledge
- Its simplified structure gives the opportunity for an integrated management system (IMS), in combination with other standards such as the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, BRC, IFS.
Learn more about ISO Implementation Services
Do you want to develop your own Food Safety Management System or to upgrade your current system (ISO 22000:2005) according to the new ISO 22000:2018 standard; Contact us to learn more about this change! Our experienced and qualified consultants will help you at each stage of the process in order to achieve the desired ISO 22000:2018 certification.
What are the key elements of ISO 22000?
ISO 22000 sets out the internationally recognized framework for managing food safety across the entire supply chain. To put the standard into practice, organizations must focus on several key elements in order to prevent risks, protect consumers, and build trust. These elements cover everything from communication and leadership to training, hygiene, hazard control, and continuous improvement, ensuring that food safety is not just a one time effort, but an ongoing commitment. The most important key elements of ISO 22000 are:
Open & ongoing communication
Strong communication channels within an organization and with outside stakeholders are important in order to spot potential risks and managing them in the most effective way. Those information are helping to make sure that everyone is aware of their role in keeping the highest food safety standards.
Food safety as part of overall management
Rather than treating food safety as a separate process, it is integrated into the company’s broader management system. This approach ensures that safety practices are considered in every decision and become part of the organization’s daily operations and strategy.
Prerequisite programs
Basic measures, such as proper cleaning routines, staff hygiene and controlled working conditions, create the base for a safe environment and support all other food safety efforts.
Risk control through HACCP
The HACCP method provides a systematic way to identify possible hazards, analyze their risks and find solutions. By following the steps of this approach, organizations can reduce food safety risks before they become problems.
Commitment to ongoing progress
Food safety is never static. Regular evaluations and updates to the system help businesses improve continuously, adapt to new regulations and respond to emerging risks, in order to ensure higher standards over time.
Employee training & competence
Food safety depends on people, so ensuring that every employee is properly trained is a critical part of ISO 22000. Staff at all levels need to understand the technical aspects of their role, as also how their daily actions impact overall safety.
The journey to ISO 22000 certification
ISO 22000 certification is a proof that a food business operates in a responsible, organized and safe way. It shows to your customers and partners that you can guarantee the quality and safety of your products at every stage of production and distribution.
The journey to certification starts with reviewing the practices you already follow, staff training, system implementation, and independent audits. Along the way, all the areas for improvement are identified, and the foundations for a lasting food safety culture are built.
Getting ready
The process begins with careful preparation. Organizations first have to carry out a gap analysis, hence a review of their current food safety practices compared to what ISO 22000 requires. This helps to highlight where improvements are needed. Based on the results, a detailed plan that outlines the steps, timelines, and responsibilities for building a food safety management system is created.
Building the system
Once the plan is clear, then the foundations are put in place. Employees receive training so that everyone understands their responsibilities and the importance of food safety in daily work. At the same time all the required documentation, such as the procedures, policies and records are developed in order to support consistency. These processes are then followed into everyday operations so that food safety becomes part of the company’s routine.
Checking from within
Before the external auditors, the organization runs an internal audit. This acts as a trial test, to check whether the system works as intended. Weaknesses or gaps are identified and then actions are taken to fix them. This stage is all about details, and making sure the system is strong enough to pass the official audit.
The certification audit
The official audit takes place in two stages.
Stage 1 is mainly a review of the documentation and an assessment of whether the company is ready to proceed.
Stage 2 is much more detailed and independent auditors are examining the actual operations, practices and processes. If both stages are completed successfully, the organization moves on to certification.
Receiving certification
After passing the certification audit, organizations are formally awarded with the ISO 22000 certificate. This proves that the food safety management system meets international standards and gives customers confidence in the company’s products.
Keeping certification alive
The company must undergo regular surveillance audits to confirm that standards are still being met. In addition, the system should be continuously reviewed and updated to adapt to new regulations, technologies, or risks. This ensures that food safety practices remain strong and reliable in the long term.
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