Food safety management needs a rationale for every control and clear instructions for handling affected products when something goes wrong. Cleaning, process monitoring, and dispatch records may each be complete, but without links among them the affected lots may still be unclear. ISO 22000 planning can start with intended product use and actual processes, then check how controls work.
Service category and standard status
Management System Auditing (MS)
Depending on organizational scope and the applicable edition, work may cover system implementation, internal audits, supplier audits, or preparation for an external audit. An independent certification body decides whether to issue a certificate under its own procedures.
This work focuses on food-chain roles, prerequisite programmes, hazard analysis, control measures, and traceability and recall.
Who it applies to and when to start
Organizations in the food chain can discuss scope when products, processes, ingredients, sites, or suppliers change, or when preparing to respond to customer food-safety requirements. Confirm actual roles and product characteristics first; do not simply reuse another company's hazard analysis.
Common business challenges
Every control point is called a critical control point without a rationale; after monitoring exceeds a limit, only the equipment is adjusted and earlier product is not addressed; cleaning sign-offs are complete but evidence of effectiveness is missing; or a traceability test finds the supplier but cannot reconcile inventory, processing, and dispatch quantities.
Approach and applicable requirements
The ISO catalogue lists ISO 22000:2018 and Amendment 1:2024 as current food safety management system requirements. A draft revision is not a published new edition. The system combines communication, management, prerequisite programmes, and hazard analysis and control; it is not equivalent to a standalone HACCP plan or an FSSC certification scheme.
Possible topics include products and intended use, process validation, prerequisite programmes (PRPs), hazard analysis, classification of operational PRPs (OPRPs) and critical control points (CCPs), monitoring and nonconforming product handling, validation of control measures, verification, suppliers and lot traceability, recall and emergency communication, training, and internal review.
Support and work stages
Confirm products, intended use, and actual processes
Check ingredients, processing, storage, and distribution. Compare documented flow with actual operations and prepare the scope and information-gap list.
Organize hygiene foundations and hazard controls
Review the basis for PRPs and hazard analysis. Confirm control classifications, limits or action criteria, and responsibilities; list matters needing specialist validation separately.
Test monitoring, traceability, and recall
Sample a real lot and review monitoring, deviations, isolation, release, and product flow. Reconcile quantities and contact responsibilities. Outputs may include exercise records and improvement actions.
Check that controls work and remain operational
Distinguish validation, routine monitoring, and verification. Organize evidence gaps for audit, corrective action, and management review.
Information to prepare
Prepare product formulations and intended use, ingredient specifications, process flow diagrams, PRP operating records, hazard analysis and control rationale, monitoring and deviation handling, lot movements, and recall, complaint, and internal-review records. If critical limits rely only on unwritten practice, flag the basis for confirmation.
Assessing schedule and fees
Product and process variety, sites, the quality of existing analysis, and the pilot period affect the schedule. Laboratory testing, shelf-life studies, engineering changes, and technical validation require separate professional arrangements. If a specific certification scheme is intended, check its additional requirements separately.
Frequently asked questions
Are ISO 22000, HACCP, and FSSC the same?
No. HACCP concerns hazard analysis and control methods; ISO 22000 is a management-system standard; a specific certification scheme has additional conditions.
Can existing hygiene and inspection records be reused?
Check their applicability and completeness first. Records that support current products and processes may be integrated.
What should a traceability exercise cover?
It should reconcile lots and quantities, inventory, dispatch, and disposition responsibilities across upstream and downstream links, and record completion time and gaps.
Can we copy the CCPs used by another company?
Assess your own hazards, processes, and control capability. Do not copy labels and limits without justification.
What is the difference between validation and verification?
Validation asks whether a control measure can achieve its purpose. Verification checks whether arrangements are implemented and the system is effective. Neither replaces the other.
Does completing the documents guarantee certification?
No. The system must operate with effective evidence and is independently assessed by the certification body; an outcome cannot be guaranteed in advance.
Related services and enquiries
For hygiene prerequisites, see ISO 22002-100. When you discuss food-safety needs with Captain International, describe your products, processes, and the step that is hardest to trace or control.