Revision of ISO 22000 on food safety management

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has commenced the revision of ISO 22000 on food safety management.

During consultation with users in 2014, gaps were highlighted in the current version, and based on this feedback, the revision group will tackle the following issues:

• Clarify certain key concepts, especially critical control points required to be managed, operational programs needed, approach to risks, product withdrawal and recall, and a combination of external control measures.
• Update terms and definitions.
• Make the standard simpler and more concise.
• Avoid making the content too prescriptive.
• Ensure a greater coverage of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

ISO 22000 will also have the same format as other management systems standards (MSSs), following an identical structure with common texts, terms and definitions. This will make life easier for companies wanting to be certified to several MSSs, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 22000. The coordinated format will ensure coherence between the standards, simplify their integrated use and facilitate their reading and understanding by users.

While food industry experts may be especially involved in this revision, other users of the standard will be specifically targeted as necessary, including SMEs, feed producers, pet food industry players, regulators looking for a model by which to develop regulatory requirements with a food safety management approach, and also manufacturers who don’t directly ‘manage food’ but whose activities fall within the scope of the standard, eg, water.

The revision group met in February 2015 to discuss the improvements and plans to meet again in mid-October to deliver a second version. The revised standard is expected to be published in 2017