13 years after its initial publication, a new version of the international standard for food safety management systems, ISO 22000, was published on June 19, 2018. For certified sites, the new version brings some significant changes. We summarize here for you what the new features are and how the transition to the new version is proceeding.

According to the latest ISO survey, more than 32,000 organizations can currently present a valid ISO 22000 certificate. Since the standard was first published in 2005, the number of users has steadily increased each year. However, in the 12 years that have passed since then, the challenges faced by companies and the expectations of the markets with regard to food safety have changed to such an extent that a revision of the standard has become necessary.

Objectives of the revision

With the revision of the standard, ISO aims to:

  • Clarify certain key concepts, particularly critical control point management, required operational programs (oPRP), risk management, product recall and withdrawal, and combination with external control measures
  • Make the standard simpler and more concise
  • Ensure that the content is relevant to all actors in the value chain and avoid restrictive content
  • Ensure applicability for SMEs
  • Increase the compatibility of ISO 22000 with other management systems standards

ISO 22000:2018 - What are the changes?

  • Introduction of the High Level Structure: with the recently revised ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 , ISO 22000:2018 shares the High Level Structure, the unified basic structure for management system standards. This will make ISO 22000 comparatively easy to incorporate into Integrated Management Systems.
  • As is also the case with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, ISO 22000:2018 stands for a risk-based approach. The standard distinguishes between risks at the operational level (HACCP approach) and, on the other hand, risks at the management system level - i.e., the risks that influence the ability of the management system to achieve its objectives.
  • The standard describes two distinct Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles: the first cycle forms the management system as such; the second cycle, which is embedded in the first, comprises the process steps illustrated in clause 8 ("Operation"). The graphic below shows the two cycles and their interaction.

PDCA2-ISO-22000-Revision-v2 (1).jpg
Author
Dr. Thijs Willaert

Dr. Thijs Willaert is Global Director Sustainability Services. In this role, he is responsible for the entire ESG service portfolio of DQS. His areas of interest include sustainable procurement, human rights due diligence and ESG audits.

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