Practical ISO 22000 Support for Safer, Audit-Ready Operations

Fixed-fee support for food businesses that need stronger hazard controls, clearer ownership, and an audit-ready FSMS aligned to real operations.

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Understanding ISO 22000

How ISO 22000 Becomes Relevant in Practice

ISO 22000 is the food safety management system standard, but in practice it becomes relevant when food-chain organizations need stronger hazard control, clearer accountability, and certification-ready evidence.

What ISO 22000
Establishes

ISO 22000 establishes a food safety management system covering hazard analysis, prerequisite programs, communication, verification, and continual improvement.

When organizations usually need it

Organizations usually pursue ISO 22000 when food safety responsibilities expand, customer expectations rise, and informal controls become harder to sustain.

Why It Starts to
Matter

ISO 22000 starts to matter when hazard control, supplier inputs, operational records, and corrective action can no longer depend on informal practices.



WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS

Food-Chain Organizations Pursuing ISO 22000 Usually Start From One of Three Realities

Food-chain organizations do not all arrive at ISO 22000 from the same place. In most cases, the project begins because customer expectations, operational complexity, hazard risks, or certification pressure is exposing gaps in food safety management.

Understanding your starting point helps shape an ISO 22000 path that fits your hazard profile, operational maturity, internal ownership, and certification timeline.

Certification Is Coming, But The Project Is Still Unclear

You know ISO 22000 is becoming necessary, but scope, effort, timing, food safety ownership, and the right level of support still need to be defined.

Your Food Safety System Needs Structure Without Slowing Operations

Customer pressure, hazard risk, or business growth may be pushing ISO 22000 forward, but the system must remain practical across daily operations.

You Are Still Working Out What ISO 22000 Will Involve

You may still be clarifying what ISO 22000 requires, how it fits your organization, and what certification will mean for your team in practice.



For Internal Champions

If You Are Driving ISO 22000 Internally, You Are Probably Being Asked to Clarify More Than the Audit

Before ISO 22000 implementation begins, someone inside the organization usually needs to define scope, estimate effort, shape a realistic timeline, and explain what support is needed. That is often where projects slow down before they properly begin.

“These are usually the questions that need answers before the project can move.”

Clear Scope

Define which sites, products, processes, hazards, prerequisite programs, suppliers, and food-safety responsibilities belong inside the ISO 22000 scope.

Internal Effort

Understand what leadership, quality, production, sanitation, purchasing, maintenance, and process owners must contribute before implementation begins.

Realistic Timeline

Build a practical plan based on current FSMS maturity, hazard complexity, record readiness, and the work required before certification.

Practical Support

Set clear expectations around milestones, deliverables, support level, and project cost so the path to ISO 22000 certification is easier to approve.

Implementation support should strengthen food safety management before it satisfies the audit, giving teams clearer ownership, better hazard control, and stronger certification readiness without turning ISO 22000 into a paperwork exercise.



What ISO 22000 Solves

The Standard Becomes Relevant When Informal Food Safety Management Starts Creating Risk

ISO 22000 usually becomes necessary when food hazards, supplier inputs, operational practices, and food-safety responsibilities start exposing the limits of informal control. This is where a structured food safety management system begins to add real value.

Inconsistent Hazard Controls

Hazard controls vary across products, processes, shifts, or locations, making food-safety performance harder to manage consistently.

Weak Food Safety Ownership

Responsibilities and handoffs are unclear, weakening accountability across quality, production, purchasing, sanitation, and leadership.

Recurring Safety
Issues

The same deviations return because root causes are not addressed properly or corrective actions are not sustained over time.

Fragmented FSMS Records

Monitoring, verification, communication, and corrective-action records may not clearly show how food safety is controlled.

Limited Leadership Visibility

Leadership lacks a clear view of hazard performance, system effectiveness, emerging risks, and certification readiness.



WHY A TO Z Management Consulting

Why Food Safety Teams Trust A to Z With ISO 22000

We do not force your organization into a generic food safety model. We adapt ISO 22000 to your products, hazards, processes, supplier inputs, and operational responsibilities, so the FSMS is easier to approve, maintain, and defend during audit.

100%

Success Rate

“We bring a strong track record across ISO 22000 and management system certifications, helping organizations move toward audit readiness with an approach that holds up in practice.”

Fixed-Fee Support

Defined deliverables, clear project phases, and straightforward pricing make the engagement easier to evaluate internally and manage without hidden surprises.

Milestone Delivery

The work is structured around clear stages, so progress is visible, responsibilities are clearer, and the path to certification is easier to plan.

Aligned to Food Operations

ISO 22000 is aligned to your actual hazards, processes, prerequisite programs, supplier inputs, communication needs, and food safety responsibilities.

Less Paperwork

We focus on essential documentation, practical hazard controls, and usable records so teams can sustain the FSMS without unnecessary administrative burden.

Proprietary compliance software (optional add-on)

Compliance Command™ is our proprietary compliance management platform designed to help organizations implement, manage, and continually improve compliance and management systems through a single integrated solution.

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OUR ISO 45001 SERVICES

Expert Support Across Every Stage of ISO 22000

Whether you are defining scope, preparing for certification, strengthening food safety ownership, or improving long-term FSMS visibility, we provide practical support across the full ISO 22000 journey.

Consulting

Practical Guidance for Implementation
• Project scoping and planning
• Gap review and roadmap
• FSMS Design for Operations
• Documentation development

Auditing

Clear Visibility into Gaps and Readiness
• Internal audit planning and execution
• Audit findings and corrective action
• Supplier and second-party audits
• Food Safety Compliance Evaluation

Training

Practical Learning for Stronger Ownership
• ISO 22000 Awareness Sessions
• Process-owner and leadership training
• Internal audit training 
• HACCP and Hazard Control Training

Software

Structured Visibility for System Management
• Integrated compliance platform
• Automated workflows and approvals
• Multi-standard compliance support
• Real-time readiness visibility



WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE

A Food Safety Management System That Works in Practice

ISO 22000 readiness is visible when hazards, communication, prerequisite programs, records, and corrective action support daily food-safety control.

Controlled Food Safety Processes

Core FSMS processes reflect how food-safety responsibilities, operational activities, communication, and review actually work.

Effective Hazard Management

Hazards are identified, evaluated, controlled, monitored, verified, and reviewed through a coherent food-safety approach.

Usable FSMS Records

Monitoring, verification, communication, corrective-action, and review records are accurate, controlled, and retrievable.

Active Management Review

Leadership evaluates food-safety performance, system effectiveness, findings, risks, objectives, and improvement priorities.



HOW IT WORKS

A Structured ISO 22000 Implementation Approach

1

Gap Assessment

Review current food safety practices against ISO 22000 requirements and identify gaps affecting hazards, communication, records, and readiness.

2

Documentation Development

Develop FSMS policies, procedures, records, and supporting controls aligned to food-chain activities, hazards, and operational scope.

3

Implementation

Embed hazard analysis, prerequisite programs, communication, verification, corrective action, and review into daily operations.

4

Internal Audit

Test FSMS consistency, hazard controls, record quality, corrective action, and audit readiness through structured internal review.

5

Readiness Review

Close remaining gaps, validate records, strengthen management review, and confirm readiness before certification begins.

6

Audit Support

Support certification audits by presenting FSMS records, hazard controls, process evidence, and system outputs clearly.
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Implementation Deliverables

What You’ll Have At The End Of The Project

By the time your organization is ready for certification, you will have an implemented ISO 22000 FSMS that strengthens hazard control, accountability, and audit-ready evidence.

Core System Deliverables

Operational Foundation

  • Processes defined and documented
  • Roles and responsibilities established
  • Hazard and PRP controls in place
  • Controlled documentation and records
  • Employee training and awareness completed
Audit Readiness Deliverables

Certification Readiness

  • Internal audits completed
  • Management review conducted
  • Corrective actions implemented
  • Food safety records available
  • Certification audit readiness demonstrated


Outcomes Beyond The Audit

What a Well-Implemented ISO 22000 System Should Improve

The value of ISO 22000 should extend beyond certification. A well-implemented system improves hazard control, food-safety governance, audit readiness, and customer confidence.

gears

Safer Food-Chain Operations

  • More consistent hazard control
  • Clearer food-safety ownership
  • Fewer uncontrolled process gaps
Data-Driven Decisions

Data-Driven Decisions

  • More usable FSMS data
  • Stronger review discipline
  • Clearer improvement priorities
Audit Readiness

Readiness & Review Discipline

  • Clearer evidence and records
  • Better internal audit discipline
  • Reliable management review
Commercial Confidence

Customer & Partner Confidence

  • Stronger food-safety assurance
  • More customer trust
  • Better qualification posture


Who We Support

Supporting Food-Chain Organizations Where Hazard Control Affects Customer Trust

We support organizations where food-safety ownership, hazard control, communication, and review discipline directly affect performance and confidence.

Food And Beverage Manufacturers

Hazard control and production discipline matter.

Ingredient And Raw Material Suppliers

Supplier inputs and traceability need structure.

Catering And Foodservice Providers

Handling, hygiene, and service controls matter.

Warehousing And Distribution Firms

Storage, transport, and traceability need control.

Packaging And Food-Contact Producers

Material safety and process controls need evidence.

Multi-Site Food Organizations

Consistent food-safety practices matter everywhere.

Explore Your ISO 22000 Readiness


Company Stats

A track record built across high-
accountability standards

A to Z Management Consulting supports organizations operating in environments where quality, consistency, and accountability directly affect performance and customer confidence. We turn certification requirements into practical implementation aligned with real operations, helping organizations achieve certification readiness without overengineering the system. Our long-term client relationships and 100% certification success rate reflect that trust.

100%

Successful Readiness Outcomes

1000+

Organizations Supported
Globally

30+

Regulated Standards Covered

20+

Years of Consulting Experience

“ I was hired to develop the ISO system to get this facility certified in ISO 9001 and 45001. I needed a system that could store our quality documents, track audits, and track corrective actions. The A to Z staff has been wonderful. They have provided support and upgrades that made the system more user friendly. They also helped with the initial gap analysis and internal audit to ensure we were on the right track in our certification journey. The outcome was fantastic, including getting certified on our first attempt. Michael L. Wherry ISO Coordinator, Komatsu
“ Our OEMs demanded that we get the TISAX Label within a certain timeframe if we wished to get continued contracts awarded. We had no TISAX expertise internally and needed external consulting. We came across the A to Z Management Consulting team, who had deep and superior experience. With A to Z’s team-based approach, deep experience, and superb management, we were able to attain our Information Security High Availability Label for two sites within six months. The return on our investment with A to Z has been immeasurable. We would definitely select them in the future when the need arises again. Karim Virjee Cybersecurity Program Manager, Woodbridge Foam Corporation
“ Managing multiple standards at the same time can quickly become complicated, but the commitment felt organized from the start. The A to Z Team was able to clearly break down the requirements, keep priorities aligned, and help us make significant progress without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. Their breadth of experience across different frameworks was evident throughout the process. Additionally, their practical and collaborative approach managed to involve process owners, ensuring that activities were not only carried out effectively but also reviewed and validated by their expert team in standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Their specialized advice allowed us to optimize our management systems and achieve our quality, environmental and safety objectives efficiently and sustainably. Vanessa Aguilar Quality Engineer, ChargePoint
“ We needed a partner who understood that certification work still has to fit around the realities of running the business day to day. A to Z did a great job of balancing structure with flexibility. Their guidance was thorough, easy to follow, and never felt heavier than it needed to be. That made a real difference for our team. Trent Tucker General Manager, American Carton Company
“ We began working with A to Z Management Consulting during our initial ISO 9001 implementation and have continued the relationship with their team ever since. Their ability to clearly explain the standard, and pending standard updates, has made it easier for our team to stay aligned and informed. The A to Z team approaches audits with a level of detail and organization that helps us prepare effectively and move into accreditation audits with confidence. Since our accreditation, we have successfully completed every external audit without a non-conformity, something we attribute to a strong internal system, supported by the guidance and structure A to Z provides. A to Z has been a valuable partner in strengthening our quality management efforts. Megan Pogwist General Manager, Packaging HERO
“ A to Z Management Consulting delivered highly effective ISO 14001 training with a strong focus on operational execution and audit readiness. The program translated requirements into clear, actionable practices, enabling our teams to quickly align processes, close gaps, and improve consistency across the organization. As a result, we saw accelerated readiness for certification activities and greater confidence at both the leadership and operational levels. The engagement was professional, results-driven, and directly supported our environmental management objectives. Kaveh Moraghebi Vice President, Quality, Regulatory & Sustainability, ALOM
“ We were not familiar with ISO, and A to Z was able to provide assistance from the ground up. Our experience has been great. A to Z has a knowledgeable team with clear and responsive communication. Strong knowledge and experience stood out throughout the engagement, and we have successfully passed ISO audits, which is a strong result. Isabelle Jung P.Q.D. International Inc.
“ After losing our Quality Supervisor, we needed immediate support to achieve ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification. A to Z quickly understood our situation and the limitations of our internal resources. From the start, they took the lead, provided a clear path forward, and guided us through building the required documentation and processes without overwhelming our team. What stood out most was A to Z’s ability to translate ISO requirements into clear, practical terms. As a result, we successfully achieved both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, and we gained a solid understanding of how to maintain and continually improve our system going forward. Carol Smith EHS Manager, Westwater Resources
“ Before working with A to Z, we did not fully understand what it takes to develop an Information Security Management System that meets ISO 27001 standard applicable to our business. The team was patient, knowledgeable, and able to explain difficult terminology and system requirements in simple terms. Their support gave us the clarity we needed to successfully pass the audit and get certified. Chrissy Ervin JDM List Services
“ I was compelled to work with A to Z Management Consulting for our ISO 13485 after learning that the team’s approach was not only to deliver an ISO-certified quality system, but to help optimize the business system altogether. We were assigned a masterclass consultant who had a deep understanding of the ISO standards. Our consultant took apart our existing ISO 9001 system and rebuilt it piece by piece on a foundation of basic quality fundamentals. Having worked with other quality consulting firms, I can comfortably rate the quality system we developed with A to Z as being of the highest caliber. Marios D. Demetriou, PhD Co-Founder and CEO, Glassimetal Technology
“ We engaged A to Z Management Consulting to pursue our first ISO certification under a very aggressive timeline. The experience was smooth and efficient, with their auditor committed to supporting us from start to finish. We appreciated their project management software and schedule. The FFP (outcome-based) arrangement helped us control costs as a small business. As a result, we were recommended for accreditation by our external auditor. We look forward to working with A to Z Management Consulting for future certifications. Sonia Mundra COO, EnProVera Corporation
“ I worked with Simon and his team when we were working towards our ISO9001 certification. We had policies in place but not in an organized fashion. A to Z management consulting came in and took care of the administrative tasks, organizing our team, holding meetings and holding people accountable so we could get our certification completed in record time. We kept working with A to Z Management after we successfully passed our first audit to ensure we stayed on track and they helped us train our quality lead so we could be self-sufficient. I highly recommend Simon and A to Z Management. They made a complex application process and system simple and straight forward. They are extremely knowledgeable. Larry Glick Marketing Manager, Asahi Refining USA, Inc.
“ We have been working with A to Z Management Consulting since 2020, when they initially helped us develop and implement our Quality Management System and successfully prepare for ISO 9001 certification. Since then, they have continued to support us with our annual internal audits and certification readiness. Their team has been knowledgeable, responsive, and easy to work with, and their practical approach has helped us maintain our QMS and stay prepared for our certification audits year after year. We value the ongoing relationship and appreciate the consistent support A to Z Management Consulting has provided to our team. Jay Patel President, Accurate Rubber Corporation
“ Toluca Foods initially engaged A to Z Management Consulting after receiving a strong recommendation from another customer and recognizing the need to obtain SQF certification for our facility. From the beginning, the experience was excellent. A to Z provided clear guidance, structure, and support throughout the entire process. What stood out most was the professionalism and personalized approach, ensuring that our specific operational needs were fully understood and addressed. Thanks to this partnership, we achieved SQF certification and earned an Excellent rating on our first audit, a milestone that added significant value and credibility to our organization. Mauricio Hidalgo Head of Operations, Toluca Foods

ISO 22000 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is ISO 22000 in simple terms?

ISO 22000 is the international standard for building and maintaining a food safety management system. 

In simple terms, it helps an organization define how food-safety hazards are identified, controlled, monitored, reviewed, and improved. It brings hazard analysis, operational controls, prerequisite programs, responsibilities, records, internal audits, corrective action, and leadership oversight into one structured management system. 

The purpose is not to create paperwork for its own sake. It is to help organizations consistently provide safe food, products, and services across the food chain. 

ISO 22000 can be used by organizations directly or indirectly involved in the food chain. 

That can include: 

  • Food and beverage manufacturers 
  • Ingredient and raw-material suppliers 
  • Primary producers 
  • Animal-feed producers 
  • Foodservice and catering organizations 
  • Storage and distribution providers 
  • Packaging manufacturers 
  • Equipment and service providers 
  • Retail and wholesale organizations 
  • Contract manufacturers 
  • Cleaning, sanitation, and transport providers 
  • Organizations supplying products or services that can affect food safety 

The standard is designed for organizations of any size and at any position in the food chain. 

ISO 22000 usually becomes necessary when food-safety responsibilities can no longer depend on informal practices, individual knowledge, or disconnected programs. 

That often happens when: 

  • Customer expectations increase 
  • Supply-chain requirements become stricter 
  • Products or processes become more complex 
  • The organization expands into new markets 
  • Hazard controls need stronger coordination 
  • Traceability becomes harder to manage 
  • Supplier responsibilities increase 
  • Leadership needs clearer visibility 
  • Certification becomes commercially important 

At that point, a structured food safety management system becomes less about documentation and more about maintaining control across the organization.

ISO 22000 matters because it creates a consistent framework for managing food safety throughout normal operations. 

Certification may be the immediate objective, but a well-implemented system can also improve: 

  • Hazard-control consistency 
  • Cross-functional accountability 
  • Supplier oversight 
  • Traceability 
  • Incident response 
  • Record quality 
  • Corrective-action discipline 
  • Leadership visibility 
  • Regulatory readiness 
  • Customer confidence 

The strongest value comes when ISO 22000 becomes part of how decisions are made rather than a system used only during audits.

ISO 22000 is not universally required by law. 

However, certification may become commercially necessary when a customer, retailer, brand owner, procurement program, contract, or supply-chain partner requires an independently audited food safety management system. 

Organizations may also pursue certification voluntarily to strengthen internal food-safety control, demonstrate customer assurance, support supplier qualification, or prepare for future market requirements.

No. ISO 22000 is designed for any organization directly or indirectly involved in the food chain. 

Manufacturers are common users, but the standard can also apply to farming, feed production, catering, retail, storage, transportation, packaging, equipment, cleaning services, and other organizations whose work can influence food safety. 

The certification scope and operational controls should reflect what the organization actually does. 

Yes. ISO 22000 can be implemented by small, mid-sized, and large organizations. 

A smaller organization still needs defined responsibilities, effective hazard controls, reliable records, internal review, and corrective action. However, it should not build a food safety management system designed for a much larger or more complicated enterprise. 

The system should be proportionate to the organization’s products, processes, workforce, risks, sites, and supply-chain position.

Yes, provided the startup has implemented operations, functioning controls, defined responsibilities, and enough records to demonstrate that the system works. 

A startup does not need years of operating history, but certification cannot be based only on planned procedures or future intentions. Auditors need objective evidence showing that food-safety activities are being carried out, monitored, reviewed, and corrected in practice.

Yes. Contract manufacturers frequently pursue ISO 22000 when they produce, process, blend, fill, pack, or handle food products for other organizations. 

The certification scope should reflect: 

  • The site 
  • Products and product groups 
  • Processes 
  • Production lines 
  • Customer requirements 
  • Outsourced activities 
  • Food-safety responsibilities 

Producing another company’s product does not reduce the contract manufacturer’s responsibility for controlling food-safety hazards within its operations.

Yes, where packaging activities and materials can affect food safety. 

The food safety management system may need to address: 

  • Material risks 
  • Contamination 
  • Hygiene 
  • Supplier approval 
  • Production conditions 
  • Storage 
  • Traceability 
  • Product specifications 
  • Equipment controls 
  • Release decisions 

Packaging organizations can also use the relevant ISO 22002 prerequisite-program standards to strengthen sector-specific controls.

Yes. Storage, transportation, and distribution organizations can implement ISO 22000 when their activities influence food safety. 

Relevant controls may include: 

  • Temperature management 
  • Product protection 
  • Segregation 
  • Hygiene 
  • Pest management 
  • Stock rotation 
  • Traceability 
  • Vehicle conditions 
  • Loading and unloading 
  • Emergency response 
  • Handling of damaged or nonconforming products 

The system should reflect the actual hazards associated with the products and logistics activities involved. 

Yes. Catering and foodservice organizations can pursue ISO 22000 certification. 

Their system may need to control: 

  • Supplier inputs 
  • Receiving 
  • Storage 
  • Preparation 
  • Cooking 
  • Cooling 
  • Reheating 
  • Serving 
  • Allergen risks 
  • Employee hygiene 
  • Cleaning and sanitation 
  • Transportation 
  • Time and temperature 

The applicable prerequisite programs should reflect the organization’s specific foodservice activities.

Yes. Organizations involved in animal feed and pet food can use ISO 22000 where their activities fall within the food and feed chain. 

The system should reflect the products, legal classification, intended use, hazards, ingredients, processes, customers, and applicable prerequisite programs.

Yes. ISO 22000 certification can provide customers and procurement teams with greater confidence that food safety is being managed through a structured and independently audited system. 

Certification can support: 

  • Supplier onboarding 
  • Customer audits 
  • Tender responses 
  • Procurement reviews 
  • Contract discussions 
  • Export-market conversations 
  • Supply-chain assurance 

Certification does not guarantee customer approval, but it can demonstrate that food-safety responsibilities and controls are managed systematically.

In many cases, yes. 

Starting early allows the organization to strengthen hazard controls, clarify responsibilities, improve records, train employees, review suppliers, test traceability, and close gaps on a manageable timeline. 

Waiting until a major opportunity depends on certification can compress implementation and create unnecessary pressure on quality, operations, sanitation, maintenance, and leadership teams.

The current published certification standard is ISO 22000:2018, together with ISO 22000:2018/Amd 1:2024, which added climate-action considerations to the management-system context requirements. 

A revised edition is currently under development as ISO/DIS 22000. Until the replacement standard is formally published and transition arrangements are issued, organizations should continue using the current published requirements and follow updates from ISO and their certification body.

Yes. ISO’s food-safety management systems committee is currently revising ISO 22000. 

The revised draft has progressed to the Draft International Standard stage. ISO reported in March 2026 that the working group had completed further review before the draft moved into the public-enquiry process. 

Organizations should avoid assuming that draft requirements are already mandatory. The current published standard remains the certification basis until the revised edition is formally issued and transition rules are established.

The 2024 amendment added explicit climate-change considerations to the clauses addressing organizational context and interested parties. 

Organizations need to determine whether climate change is a relevant issue for their food safety management system. They should also consider whether relevant interested parties have climate-related requirements that affect the FSMS. 

For a food-chain organization, relevance may involve matters such as: 

  • Changing raw-material availability 
  • Water scarcity 
  • Temperature extremes 
  • Flooding 
  • Pest patterns 
  • Transportation disruption 
  • Storage conditions 
  • Supplier continuity 
  • Emerging biological hazards 

The amendment does not require every organization to create a separate climate program. It requires the issue to be considered within the FSMS context.

ISO 22000 establishes requirements for planning, implementing, maintaining, reviewing, and improving a food safety management system. 

Its major areas include: 

  • Organizational context 
  • Leadership 
  • Food-safety policy 
  • Responsibilities and authorities 
  • Risk and opportunity planning 
  • Food-safety objectives 
  • Resources and competency 
  • Communication 
  • Documented information 
  • Prerequisite programs 
  • Traceability 
  • Emergency preparedness 
  • Hazard analysis 
  • Control measures 
  • Operational prerequisite programs 
  • Critical control points 
  • Verification 
  • Nonconformity and corrective action 
  • Internal audits 
  • Management review 
  • Continual improvement 

It integrates management-system principles with HACCP principles and Codex Alimentarius application steps. 

HACCP is a preventive methodology for identifying, evaluating, and controlling significant food-safety hazards. 

ISO 22000 includes HACCP principles but extends beyond the hazard-control plan. It also addresses: 

  • Leadership 
  • Organizational context 
  • Responsibilities 
  • Communication 
  • Supplier control 
  • Prerequisite programs 
  • Documented information 
  • Internal audits 
  • Management review 
  • Corrective action 
  • Objectives 
  • Continual improvement 

A HACCP plan is therefore a central part of ISO 22000, but it is not a complete food safety management system by itself. 

The organization needs an effective HACCP-based hazard-control system as part of ISO 22000 implementation. 

A separate HACCP certification is not necessarily required first. However, the organization must have: 

  • Competent personnel 
  • Accurate product descriptions 
  • Defined intended use 
  • Verified process-flow diagrams 
  • Appropriate hazard identification 
  • Hazard assessment 
  • Selected control measures 
  • Validation 
  • Monitoring 
  • Verification 
  • Corrective-action arrangements 
  • Supporting records 

If the existing HACCP plan is generic, outdated, or disconnected from actual production, it will need to be strengthened.