Food Safety Management System: ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000?

<h1>Food Safety Management System: ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000?</h1>Author: <a title="Cynthia Weber" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/cynthia-weber/140699.htm">Cynthia Weber</a> ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000? by Cynthia Weber, <a href="http://www.22000-Tools.com" target="_blank">www.22000-Tools.com</a> There has been an abundance of food safety standards in the world, but there is also variation between standards, their implementation and auditing. With the success that the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) has with harmonization of standards, it was logical that they take on this issue with the development of an ISO Food Safety Standard. The standard, <a href="http://www.22000-tools.com/iso-22000-explained.html" target="_self" title="ISO 22000 Explained">ISO 22000</a> was released in 2005. Since its release it has been successfully implemented in hundreds of companies around the world. The ISO 22000 Standard can be applied to any organization in the food chain, from the farm to the food packaging producer. However, the Global Food Safety Initiative is another organization playing an important role in Food Safety Systems. This organization has “benchmarked” four existing food safety schemes. Once a system is “benchmarked” it means that certification to the scheme is accepted by organizations requiring a GFSI scheme. The current list of GFSI schemes includes IFS, SQF, BRC and Dutch HACCP. Having a GFSI recognized certification can be important to a company that is selling to one of the major retailers that has chosen to require a GFSI scheme. Because this list includes such giants as Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco, Metro, Migros, Ahold, and Delhaize, the GFSI recognition is very important to many food companies. The question then, was could ISO 22000 be added to the list of GFSI standards? After a review of the requirements of the standard, it was determined that for the food manufacturers, GFSI wanted to see more specific Prerequisite Program Requirements. This led to the development of a specific document PAS 200 (Published by BSI) specifying detailed PRP requirements for manufactures in the food industry. The combination of the PRP document, PAS 220 and the ISO 22000 standard have now been benchmarked by GFSI. The next step is to have an “Owner” for the scheme, the Foundation for Food Safety Certification, to maintain the ownership and accredit certification bodies. So how do you choose between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000? This will be driven by your market. If you are not a food manufacturer, the ISO 22000 will be the applicable standard. If you are a food manufacturer, your choice will be driven by what your customers are looking for. To move from ISO 22000 to FSSC requires only a review against the PAS 220 document, and an appropriately accredited registrar. The benchmarking process is was completed in May 2009, and the FSSC 22000 Scheme is now available.About the Author: Cynthia Weber of <a href="http://www.22000-tools.com">22000-Tools.com</a> has thirteen years experience with Quality Management Systems compliance including:

Design and implementation of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001,<a href="http://www.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.22000-tools.com">">http://www.22000-tools.com"></a> ISO 22000,</a> ISO 13485 and others)
Auditing for compliance with ISO 9001, 13485, FDA, GMP and other quality management systems
Design and development of audit programs for client companies, including corrective action programs
<a href="http://www.22000-tools.com/iso-22000-internal-audit-training.html">Development of Internal Auditor Training materials and programs
Training of Internal Audit teams for client companies</a>
Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/food-safety-management-system-iso-22000-or-fssc-22000-884471.html" title="Food Safety Management System: ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000?">Food Safety Management System: ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000?</a>

ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000?

by Cynthia Weber, www.22000-Tools.com
There has been an abundance of food safety standards in the world, but there is also variation between standards, their implementation and auditing. With the success that the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) has with harmonization of standards, it was logical that they take on this issue with the development of an ISO Food Safety Standard. The standard, ISO 22000 was released in 2005. Since its release it has been successfully implemented in hundreds of companies around the world. The ISO 22000 Standard can be applied to any organization in the food chain, from the farm to the food packaging producer.

However, the Global Food Safety Initiative is another organization playing an important role in Food Safety Systems. This organization has “benchmarked” four existing food safety schemes. Once a system is “benchmarked” it means that certification to the scheme is accepted by organizations requiring a GFSI scheme. The current list of GFSI schemes includes IFS, SQF, BRC and Dutch HACCP.

Having a GFSI recognized certification can be important to a company that is selling to one of the major retailers that has chosen to require a GFSI scheme. Because this list includes such giants as Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco, Metro, Migros, Ahold, and Delhaize, the GFSI recognition is very important to many food companies.

The question then, was could ISO 22000 be added to the list of GFSI standards? After a review of the requirements of the standard, it was determined that for the food manufacturers, GFSI wanted to see more specific Prerequisite Program Requirements. This led to the development of a specific document PAS 200 (Published by BSI) specifying detailed PRP requirements for manufactures in the food industry.

The combination of the PRP document, PAS 220 and the ISO 22000 standard have now been benchmarked by GFSI.

The next step is to have an “Owner” for the scheme, the Foundation for Food Safety Certification, to maintain the ownership and accredit certification bodies.

So how do you choose between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000? This will be driven by your market. If you are not a food manufacturer, the ISO 22000 will be the applicable standard. If you are a food manufacturer, your choice will be driven by what your customers are looking for. To move from ISO 22000 to FSSC requires only a review against the PAS 220 document, and an appropriately accredited registrar.

The benchmarking process is was completed in May 2009, and the FSSC 22000 Scheme is now available.

Cynthia Weber of 22000-Tools.com has thirteen years experience with Quality Management Systems compliance including: Design and implementation of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001,">http://www.22000-tools.com"> ISO 22000, ISO 13485 and others) Auditing for compliance with ISO 9001, 13485, FDA, GMP and other quality management systems Design and development of audit programs for client companies, including corrective action programs Development of Internal Auditor Training materials and programs Training of Internal Audit teams for client companies

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Article Tags: Iso 22000, Food Safety Management System, FSSC 22000, PAS 220

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