WHAT IS ISO 22000 CERTIFICATION FOR FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM?

ISO 22000 is a set of standards that are applicable to all the organizations that are in any ways part of the food supply chain. From agro-industries to manufacturers of food items, or even the restaurants, where the food is served, can apply for ISO 22000 certification.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FSMS)?

It’s an old saying, that we are what we eat. Even a minute aberration in the food may cause fatality. Thus, it is very important for those organizations that are part of the food chain, to ensure the end-users about the safety of food products. The legislations regarding the food safety are very stringent on any part of the word. Thus, having an ISO 22000 certification acts as a badge of compliance. It makes your case favorable during the event of dispute resolution.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ISO 22000 CERTIFICATION?

Following are the benefits that you can get by achieving ISO 22000 certification:

  • Increased profit for your organization
  • Identification and elimination of food safety risks
  • A continual improvement of your management system to ensure food safety
  • Enhanced confidence of your customers and clients
  • Promotion of international trade

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ISO 22000 CERTIFICATION?

Once you have implemented the FSMS in your organization, it becomes necessary for you to get yourself audited in order to achieve the ISO 22000 Certification. When you choose an external certification body to perform the audits, you need to first fill up the application form. Once you have reviewed all the requirements of the certification, you may plan your audits accordingly.

There are some mandatory steps to obtain ISO 22000 certification. Once the formality of documentation has been taken care of, following steps should be followed to acquire the certification:

1. Internal Audit- this is done to verify the data provided by you in the form.

2. Management Audit- the administration of your organization conducts a survey to understand the practical realities.

3. Corrective activities- After the internal and management audits, you are required to analyze and close the gaps that are observed. Make sure to archive information about the actions that were taken to fill those gaps.

The process of obtaining ISO 22000 certification comprises of two stages:

4. Stage one (documentation survey) – the reviewers from the certification body of your choice will thoroughly verify if the documentation meets prerequisites of ISO 22000 certification.

5. Stage two (Primary audit) – Here the consistency between your documentation and the requirements of ISO 22000 certification. This is done by thorough investigation of reports, records and company practices.

It must be noted that the International Organization for Standardization does not certify, it just publishes the ISO standards. An external body performs the certification. SIS Certifications is one such body which has a reputation for being one of the best in the world. Our vast pool of auditors is recognized for their expertise in comprehensively auditing the compliance of your management systems against the required standards and awarding you with the certifications at the end. The smoothness in the process, our integrity, and our commitment to deadlines make us stand apart from other certification bodies.

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