New edition of ISO 22000!

With more than 200 diseases spreading through the food chain, it is clear that safe and sustainable food production is one of our biggest challenges. Further globalisation of food trade complicates food safety; the new edition of ISO 22000 for food safety management systems presents a timely response. 

Food safety is about the prevention, elimination and control of food-borne risks, from production to the point of consumption. As food safety risks can arise at any stage of the process, every company in the food supply chain must carry out sufficient hazard controls. In fact, food safety can only be enforced through the combined efforts of all parties: governments, producers, retailers and final consumers. 

Targeting all organizations in the food and feed industry, regardless of size or sector, ISO 22000:2018 food safety systems - for each organization in the food chain, translates food safety management into a process of continuous improvement. Precautions are needed for food safety by helping to identify, prevent and reduce food-borne hazards in the food and feed chain.

The new edition brings clarity of understanding to the thousands of companies worldwide that already use the standard. Its most recent improvements include: 

- Adaptation of the High-Level Structure common to all ISO management system standards, making it easier for organizations to combine with other management systems (such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001), at any given time.
- A new approach to risk - an essential concept in the food business - that distinguishes between risk at the operational level and business level of the management system.
- Strong links with the Codex Alimentarius, a United Nations Food Group that develops food safety guidelines for governments.

The new standard provides a dynamic control of food safety risks by combining the generally recognised key elements: interactive communication, system management, required programmes (PRPs) and the principles of risk analysis and critical control points (HACCP).

ISO 22000:2018 cancels and replaces ISO 2200:2005. Organisations certified to the standard shall have three years from the date of publication to complete the transition to the new version.