The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has benchmarked several food safety management standards. Processors can choose the standard that is most suitable for them. The Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 standard is one of them.
 

FSSC 22000 is administered by the Foundation for Food Safety Certification. It is designed for food producers/processors who supply major food retailers and major brand food companies and is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

FSSC 22000  is a standard that incorporates all elements for prerequisite programs, also known as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, into a management system.

FSSC 22000 combines the principles of the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) for required programs on food safety for food processors [the British Standard Institution (BSI) PAS 220: 2008] and the ISO 22000; 2005.  It is supported by the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union (CIAA).

FSSC 22000
 

• Standard Overview
   

• Implementing FSSC 22000
   
• Certification
   
• Documentation
   
• Related Links
   

The standard can be applied all along the food chain, including manufacture of perishable animal products (not pre-slaughter or slaughter), perishable vegetable products, products with a long shelf life and food ingredients that are not processing aids.

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Standard Overview

The standard has four sections:

• Section 1 – describes the requirements food processors must meet to get certification
   
• Section 2 – lists requirements for certification bodies, their staff and the way they do audits
   
• Section 3 – outlines the requirements for accreditation bodies
   
• Section 4 – describes the regulations for the Board of Stakeholders. The Board of Stakeholders, an advisory body that consists of representatives of trade and industry, authorities and other parties concerned, is responsible for the content of the standard and the delivery of the certification audits.

Implementing FSSC 22000

To implement the FSSC 22000 standard, food processors should focus on section one of the standard: It states suppliers must:

• Develop, implement and maintain a food safety management system as outlined in the ISO 22000:2005 standard. ISO 22000:2005 is a framework for a food safety management system (FSMS). It includes prerequisite programs, HACCP principles and ISO 9001:2000 elements. For details on ISO 22000, go to: gov.mb.ca/agriculture/foodsafety/fsi/cfs10s11.html.
   
• Use the PAS 220:2008 technical specifications to develop, implement and maintain the prerequisite programs noted in Clause 7.2 of the ISO 22000:2005 standard. PAS 220:2008 specifies requirements in areas such as:
   

o       construction and layout of buildings

o       layout of premises and workspace

o       utilities – air, water, energy

o       waste disposal

o       equipment suitability, cleaning and maintenance

o       management of purchased materials

o       measures for prevention of cross contamination

o       cleaning and sanitizing

o       pest control

o       personnel hygiene and employee facilities

o       rework

o       product recall procedures

o       warehousing

o       product information/consumer awareness

o       food defence, biovigilance and bioterrorism
 

• Consider regulations, commodity codes, guidelines and customer requirements.
   
• Ensure written specifications for contract services that could affect food safety are available and managed.
   
• Ensure effective supervision of staff food safety practices

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Certification

If you are ISO 22000 certified and want FSSC 22000 certification, you need to review your existing system, using PAS 220:2008. If you have a HACCP system in place, review the requirements of ISO 22000:2005 and PAS 220:2008 to identify areas that need to be addressed.

Suppliers can be FSSC 22000 certified when they successfully complete an audit by an approved certification body. The Foundation for Food Safety Certification list of approved certification bodies is at: fssc22000.com/en/page.php.
 

Documentation

For FSSC 22000 and other relevant documentation, go to: fssc22000.com.
 

Related links

• Integration of ISO 22000 with an existing HACCP program
   

Standards are reviewed and updated regularly and you can find the latest updates on the FSSC 22000  website.
 

For information on the Food Safety Program contact the CVO/Food Safety Knowledge Centre.  For technical information, call 204-795-7968 in Winnipeg; or e-mail foodsafety@gov.mb.ca. For general information, contact your local GO Centre.