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ISO 9001:2015 QMS

Food Safety Management System

Food Industry is one of the fastest and biggest growing industry in recent times. With the expectations of consumers moving higher on the graph, their safety and well being should be a prime aspect of an organization representing this industry. Without Food Safety Management Systems, it is difficult or merely impossible for a firm to gain the trust of its consumers or even serve them efficiently.

An organization that beholds a certification for Food Safety Management System depicts an assurance that the concerned organization has implied appropriate Food Safety Management Systems to its process, activities which also include its products and services and comply to the Food Safety Policy and requirements prescribed under ISO 22000.

Any firm or organization, irrespective of its magnitude belonging or has entered the Food Industry has to work in sync according to the norms and maintain its consistency of facilitating safe products to its consumers.

Under the International Standard of ISO 22000, the Food Safety Management System is defined by the organizations that strive to safeguard the safety of their consumers at the time of consumption against all Food Safety Hazards.

What is Food Safety Management System?

International standards like ISO 22000 under FSMS lay down some rules and norms to which an organization irrespective of magnitude must abide by in order to control the food safety hazards and make sure the food is safe at the time of consumption. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points or HACCP will be monitored closely by the FSMS.

  • Bebefits of Food Safety Management System

    The Certifications under Food Safety Management Services enable clients to record a systematic method for analyzing food processes, determining the possible hazards, and designating the critical control points. These steps are mandatory to prevent unsafe food from reaching the consumer.

  • Why ISO 22000 Certification?

    ISO 22000 certification covers all processes in the firm representing the food industry that impact the safety of the end product. It prescribes the requirements for a comprehensive food safety management systems as well as incorporating the elements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). It builds and operates a food safety management system within a well-defined and clear framework that is flexible to your business needs and expectations.

    Internationally recognized and respected by the scientific community as well as international food organizations ISO 22000 is the most effective approach to the manufacture of safe food.

    Advantages

    • Identifies and prevents hazards from contaminating food.
    • Responsibility for ensuring food safety on the food manufacturer or distributor.
    • More effectively in the world market thereby reducing barriers to international trade.
    • Meets food safety legal compliance and corporate requirements.
    • Suitable for regulators
    • Covers the majority of the requirements of the current retailer food safety standards

    More Specific Benefits

    • Products accepted around the world.
    • Increases the safety of food products.
    • Strengthen the confidence of customers and supervising authorities in your products.
    • Easy integration of the standard into existing quality management systems, such as ISO 9001
    • Dynamic communication on food safety issues with suppliers, customers, regulators and other interested parties.

    Certification Procedure

    The Certification Procedure is a multiple-step process. The certification cycle is described briefly:

    • Application for certification from client
    • The offer from IRQS India
    • Offer acceptance from client and order confirmation by IRQS India
    • Pre-audit (optional)
    • Certification audit – (Stage 1 + Stage 2)
    • Issuance of the certificate of successful completion of the certification audit
    • Surveillance audits at a defined period
    • Recertification audit after 3 years

  • Transition to ISO 22000:2018

      With reference to the above subject, would like to inform that in June 2018 the standard ISO 22000:2018 “Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organization in the food chain” was published under the ISO Technical Committee TC 34 (SC 17/WG 8) to replace ISO 22000:2005.

      The major changes to the new version include modifications to its structure and also clarify key concepts as detailed below:

      • Firstly, the new High Level Structure (HLS) developed by ISO, which is mandatory when drafting or revising management system standards, had to be incorporated into the standard. The HLS sets a framework for the management system standards, which makes it very easy for businesses to conform to more than one management system standard.
      • Secondly, WG 8 decided to provide the users of ISO 22000 with a new understanding of the different approaches to the notion RISK. As a concept, risk is used in various ways and it is very important for food businesses to distinguish between the well-known hazard assessment on the operational level (HACCP), and the concept of business risk where opportunities also form part of the concept.
      • Thirdly, WG 8 also decided to further clarify how the Plan-Do-Check- Act (PDCA) circle works by having two separate circles in the standard. The two PDCA circles will operate one inside the other; one covering the management system and the other, within it, the operations described in Clause 8, which simultaneously cover the principles of HACCP defined by Codex.
      • Finally, the users of the current standard have asked for a clear description of the differences between CCPs, OPRPs and PRPs, while maintaining alignment with Codex definitions as much as possible

          • Please find below the ‘Guidance for Upgrading to ISO 22000:2018

          01)Transition Plan for FSMS Certified client
          An organization shall prepare itself to start upgrading the certification against ISO 22000:2018 by following the below mentioned steps:

          a. ISO 22000:2018 has been implemented in the Organization’s food safety management system following a gap analysis
          b. Provide appropriate training and awareness to all personnel that have an impact on the FSMS
          c. Update the existing FSMS to meet the revised requirements.
          d. The inclusion of ISO 22000:2018 in the Organization’s Food Safety management system has been verified by an internal audit
          e. Any identified deficiencies shall be closed or covered by a corrective action plan that is implemented before the scheduled audit against ISO 22000:2018 Version;
          f. Management review confirming that the organization is ready for and in conformity with the ISO 22000:2018 standard requirements

          02) Conduct of upgrade Audit and Issuance of Certificate:
          As mentioned above you are requested to decide your ‘Transition Plan’ i.e. before or during the upcoming Re-certification / Surveillance Audit in 2019, 2020 but not later than March 2021.

          2.1 Scheduled re-certification audit
          In 2019, 2020 till March 2021, the scheduled re-certification audit could be replaced by an upgrade audit. After a successful upgrade audit, an ISO 22000:2018 certificate is issued with a validity period of three years.

          2.2 Scheduled surveillance audit
          In 2019, 2020 till March 2021, the scheduled surveillance audit could be replaced by an upgrade audit. After a successful upgrade audit an ISO 22000:2018 certificate is issued for the remaining validity period of the certificate.

          2.3 Validity of certifications to ISO 22000:2005
          Certificates issued against ISO 22000:2005 shall not have an expiration date after 18 June 2021.

          Note:
          No new clients can be certified for ISO ISO 22000:2005 Standard from January 2021.

          03) IRQS requirement to Process and Schedule the Transition Audit:

          3.1 To achieve ISO 22000:2018 Certification, Organization holding an ISO 22000:2005 Certification are expected to apply to IRQS with the Transition plan for upgrading to the new 2018 Version at least one month prior of the scheduled audit submitting the above mentioned information under 1.1 a) to 1.1 f).

          3.2 Request to kindly update us regarding your ‘Transition Plan’ i.e. during upcoming Surveillance / Recertification Audit or in between your planned Audits of current cycle.

          3.3 On the receipt of the transition plan, we shall be forwarding a fresh Questionnaire for ISO22000:2018. Based on the submitted ‘Questionnaire’, Quotation will be forwarded to you and on the receipt of the duly signed copy of the Order Acceptance, we shall proceed for the planning & execution of the transition audit.