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New BS EN ISO 22000 food standard and guidance

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 7, 2005

BSI is publishing a new standard, BS EN ISO 22000:2005 'Food safety management systems, Requirements for any organization in the food chain', and guidance for organisations involved in the food chain.

Failures in the food supply chain can be dangerous as well as costly in terms of company reputation, financial penalties and shareholder value.

BS EN ISO 22000 'Food safety management systems, Requirements for any organization in the food chain', which is the new standard for food safety management systems, will help eliminate weak links in the food supply chain and benefit the consumer as well as the business.

Food producers, manufacturers, handlers or suppliers know that customers expect them to identify and control food safety hazards and the conditions that impact on food safety.

BS EN ISO 22000 specifies the requirements for a food safety management system in the food chain where an organisation needs to demonstrate it can control food safety hazards and provide consistently safe end-products that meet both the customers' requirements and the food safety regulations.

The standard combines generally recognised key elements to ensure food safety along the food chain including: interactive communication, system management, control of food safety hazards through pre-requisite programmes and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plans, and continual improvement and updating of the management system.

Who should use the standard? As food safety hazards may be introduced at any stage of the food chain, adequate control is essential.

BS EN ISO 22000 could therefore apply to any organisation participating in the food chain, including: primary food producers through to food manufacturers, including food processors; retail and food service outlets; feed producers; transport and storage operators; producers of equipment and packaging material; and producers of cleaning agents, additives and ingredients.

Benefits to users are: resource optimization; internally and along the food chain; more efficient and dynamic food safety hazard control; hazard analysis of all control measures; better planning, less post-process verification; improved documentation; systematic management of prerequisite programmes; control focused on what is necessary; widely applicable because it is focused on end results; valid basis for taking decisions; increased due diligence; dynamic communication on food safety issues with suppliers, customers, regulators and other interested parties;and a systematic and proactive approach to identification of food safety hazards and development and implementation of control measures.

The standard is priced £106 or £53 for BSI subscribing members (packaging and postage costs £4.17 in the UK (inclusive of VAT), £5.83 overseas (+ VAT if applicable), or free to BSI subscribing members (note that pre-payment is required from non-members).

All prices, content and publishing dates may be subject to change.