The last couple of years have provided ample evidence that control of food safety is critical. Recent media reports have clearly shown severe shortcomings in the food industry that have threatened consumers’ health and safety.
Unsafe food is a risk for all of us – consumers can become seriously ill and the food industry can face costly corrective actions. These ongoing problems cry out for additional tools to reduce or eliminate risks. Communication and raising awareness of potential hazards throughout the entire food chain are crucial as food safety is a joint responsibility for all participating parties.
The ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System aims to ensure that there are no weak links in the food supply chain.
Since ISO 22000 was first published in 2005, the standard has been well received by the food industry but new food safety risks prompted the need for a revision. The latest edition was published on 19th June 2018 and maintains a strong link to the Codex Alimentarius standards. It also addresses emerging food safety challenges and aligns the strategic direction of an organisation with its Food Safety Management objectives.
TAILOR-MADE APPROACH
The ISO Food Safety Management System is flexible and can be used by all organisations in the food chain. By using the standard the food industry shares a common food safety language, thus reducing the risk of critical errors and maximising the use of resources. Enterprises that can apply the standard include:
- Growers
- Transporters
- Packagers
- Processors
- Retailers
- Bottlers, and
- Restaurants
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IS VITAL FOR RESILIENCE
Food companies applying the ISO Food Safety Management System will be able to:
- Embed and improve internal processes and provide consistently safe food.
- Provide confidence that their organisation’s practices and procedures are effective and robust.
- Assure customers and other parties through the certification process that food safety hazards are controlled and that their enterprise can provide safe products.
- Continually improve their Food Safety Management System by reviewing and updating the system at planned intervals so that all activities related to food safety are always optimised and effective.
- Ensure adequate control at all stages of the food supply chain to stop the introduction of food safety hazards.
AUDIT AND CERTIFICATION
To increase the acceptance of the ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System and ensure that accredited certification programmes are implemented in a professional and trustworthy manner, the technical specification: ISO/TS 22003:2013 Food safety management systems – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of food safety management systems was published in 2007 and reviewed in 2016.
IFS, BRC, ISO 22000 - WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the International Featured Standard (IFS) are standards that are recognised by many European retailers and are now required from suppliers of private-label goods.
BRC and IFS include provisions to prevent malicious acts (food defence) and to manage the authenticity of raw materials (food fraud). This is not the case with ISO 22000:2018 but the 2018 version allows for these provisions to be incorporated into the Food Safety Management System.
LINKS BETWEEN FSSC 22000 VERSION 5 AND ISO 22000
FSSC 22000 or Food Safety System Certification 22000 is a certification system, which incorporates ISO 22000 and other requirements, in particular food fraud and food defence. FSSC 22000 is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and can be used by many agri-food businesses.
All of the GFSI-benchmarked Food Safety Management Systems are based on the following three components which must function as a system to minimise the risks for creating a food safety incident:
- HACCP
- PRPs
- Other requirements needed for a management system
FOOD SAFETY AND RISKS - WHAT'S NEW?
Risk-based thinking plays a central role in the ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety standard. Organisations are given the tools to assess, identify and evaluate food safety hazards and address how to reduce their impact on consumers. ISO 22000:2018 follows the risk management principles outlined in the ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management standard but there are differences between the two standards.
Download our FREE Guide to learn about the importance of Risk-based Thinking in Food Safety Management.
A SNAPSHOT OF HOW ISO 22000 REDUCES FOOD SAFETY RISKS
Better processes
Dynamic control of food safety hazards through HACCP and PRPs is a cost-effective way of controlling food safety, from ingredients to production, storage and distribution.
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) requires that potential hazards are identified and controlled at specific points in the process.
- PRPs (Prerequisite Programmes) stipulate the prerequisites for producing safe food in various food sectors.
Better competence
Workers learn good hygiene practices through training programmes.
Better infrastructure
Sites, production flows and factory layouts are arranged for satisfactory sanitary conditions.
Better planning
A clear project plan defines how, when and by whom risks and objectives should be managed.
Better teamwork
Effective communication helps employees work towards the same goal of food safety.
Better leadership
Management shows commitment to food safety through policies, resources and actions.
Better performance
Management reviews performance and objectives regularly to drive continual improvement
Better documentation
Food safety policies, procedures, work instructions and records are carefully documented for reference.
Click here to read about ISO Document and Control procedures and Software Solutions.
The ultimate goal of the ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System is to put good quality, safe food on the tables of consumers. Now that’s something to celebrate! Bon appétit!
GETTING STARTED WITH FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Are you ready to update your Food Safety Management System?
Risk ZA offers a wide range of ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Training courses. Grow your skills by attending our courses which are presented by leading industry experts. Click here to check the training course schedule and find the one that suits you best.
For more information and assistance, please contact our friendly team on
+27 (0) 31 569 5900, email info@riskza.com.