Accreditation for Food Safety Management Systems

Accreditation for food safety management systems refers to the process of evaluating and certifying that an organization has a management system in place to ensure the safety of the food it produces, processes, or sells. Food safety management systems are designed to help organizations identify and manage food safety risks, and to ensure that they produce, process, or sell food in a safe and hygienic manner.

To obtain accreditation for a food safety management system, an organization must typically demonstrate that it has the necessary policies, processes, and procedures in place to manage food safety effectively. This may include demonstrating that the organization has appropriate staffing levels, that it follows established best practices and guidelines, and that it has systems in place to monitor and improve the safety of the food it produces, processes, or sells.

There are several different accreditation standards that may be applicable to food safety management systems, depending on the specific type of organization and the industry in which it operates. For example, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed a standard for food safety management, ISO 22000, which provides guidance on the principles and processes for managing food safety effectively.

Obtaining accreditation for a food safety management system can be beneficial for several reasons. It can help to demonstrate the organization's competence and credibility to regulatory bodies, customers, and other stakeholders, and may be required in order to qualify for certain contracts or business opportunities. Accreditation can also help to improve the safety of the food being produced, processed, or sold, and may lead to increased customer satisfaction and trust in the organization's brand.

Food Safety Management Systems certification is provided by certification bodies to organizations who have demonstrated that they have implemented a system for food safety along the food chain.

ISO 22000 specifies requirements for a food safety management system that combines interactive communication, system management, prerequisite program, and HACCP principles to ensure food safety along the food chain.

A Certification Body applying for ISO 22000 accreditation must conform to ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/TS 22003 and other additional International requirements as detailed in Specific Requirements for Accreditation for FSMS Scheme.

ISO 22000 is a Food Safety Management System, which can be applied independently to other management systems or integrated with existing food safety systems such as, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certification.

This standard can also be applied to related organisations such as producers of equipment, packaging materials, cleaning agents.

Certification Bodies interested to apply for an Accreditation scheme for Food Safety Management System can send an email at [email protected]