ISO 22000 – Still held in 2005? Then this is for you.!
ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management Standard
Everything is permanent except change – Yes! Indeed, it applies to ISO standards as well. ISO 22000 is the food management system attained by every firm involved in the food chain right from the farm to the table. This is mainly to seek peoples’ confidence that proper check is in place to prevent consequences of unsafe eatables. This food safety certification helps the certificate holders not only to identify but to control hazards resulting from unsafe sources of sustenance.
Food Safety:
Is food safety limited but to eating healthy food? Yes, but in a comprehensive manner. Food safety is all about refraining, wiping out and restricting food based hazards right at the point of production till consumption. The complicated aspect of food process business is that hazards here are unpredictable and that they can occur at any stage of the procedure. Hence it is required that every firm in this sector comply with this standard and effectively prevent food borne accidents.
Why ISO 22000:
If you are in food chain business, then regardless of your size and tenure in the business, it is imperative for you have to this certification. It is a manual to lead you with food safety management systems recognised at world level. The ISO 22000 standard will serve your firm with a chart of what your firm need to ensure promoting safe food.
An Upgrade:
All ISO certifications are in continuous perusal of improvements, and ISO 22000 is no exception. Since 2005, the earlier version of the standard: ISO 22000:2005 has been consistently serving the food value chain business with guidance and precautions in maintaining healthy and nutritious food. However, due to increased uncertainty the need for precautions should also be enhanced simultaneously. For instance, high turnover of imports and exports of food products from various regions. Hence the transition ISO 22000:2005 to ISO 22000:2018.
So, what has changed?
Technically many, but precisely few yet forceful. Here is the hit list:
High-Level Structure (HLS): HLS means deeper engagement of food safety from strategic levels. Although the new version of ISO 22000 adopts the same structure as the other standards, the HLS allows the firms to obtain multiple/integrated ISO certificates such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Newly added clause in revised version of the standard have added key points relevant to management, leadership, content of the concern, and guidance on actions to be taken during uncertainties, risk or opportunity identification.
Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA): The contemporary version has integrated two simultaneous cycles to ensure better planning, doing, checking and acting of the safety management process. The one side of standard emphasizes the management system while the other highlights the HACCP.
Risk: According to ISO risk is anything associated to uncertainty. It is important to understand it first to overcome, and ISO 22000:2018 clears the understanding of risk at its best.
Clarity: The clarity is made more explicit in the newly edited version. For instance, definitions and details of keywords such as critical control points and pre-requisite programs, both operational and general are distinct to point.
What difference does the upgrade make?
It is common for ISO standards to be revised once in every 5 years. So taking ISO 22000, it is driven by factors such as increased exchange of food commodities across boundaries; new food safety challenges encountered by the supply chain links and unanticipated implications of unsafe food on the consumers’ health. These drivers demanded for a more sophisticated check system. If you are still an ISO 22000:2005 certified then your attention is called. ISO 22000:2018 was introduced publicly in June 2018. It replaces its earlier version ISO 22000:2005. Firms’ accredited of this certificate have 3 years from the date of publication to transition for the newer version now which should be no later than 18th June 2021!
It is time to hurry but not to panic, contact us now for your transition and we will take it from there!!!