Scope:
The international standard ISO 22000 defines the requirements for the Food Safety management system in the food chain, when an organization must demonstrate its ability to control food hazards to ensure that each food product is safe at the time of customer consumption.

ISO 22000 is applicable to all organizations, regardless of their size, that are involved in any aspect of the food chain and that wish to implement systems that ensure the safe food products. It allows any organization, including small and less developed organizations (eg small farm, small packaging supplier, small retail store or grocery store), to apply externally developed elements in its Food Safety Management System.
 
ISO 22000 specifies the requirements for the Food Safety management system, which include the generally recognized elements for ensuring Food Safety in the food chain up to the point of final consumption:
• good communication throughout the food chain;
• system management and process control;
• Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA cycle) combines two separate cycles: the management system and the principles of HACCP;
• application of the HACCP principles and direct connection with the Alimentarius Code;
• observance of good hygienic and production practices.
 
The ISO 22000 standard combines the principles of the HACCP system (Hazard Analysis, Critical Control Points and Guidelines for its Implementation) with the Prerequisite Programs (PRPs), known as Good Hygiene and Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
ISO 22000 requires that all justified hazards to the food chain be identified and assessed, including those related to the type of process and the installations used. Thus, the standard provides an opportunity to identify and document the hazards and the lack of such hazards.
 
Structure:
ISO 22000 Food Safety management systems has the following structure:
1. Scope
2. Normative References
3. Terms and definitions
4. Context of the organization
5. Leadership
6. Planning
7. Support
8. Operation
9. Performance evaluation
10. Improvement
 
Benefits of implementing the ISO 22000 standard
The ISO 22000 standard enables the organization to:
• implement a Food Safety management system that will help to improve overall safety performance;
• provide products and services, related to food products, that are safe and that meet regulatory requirements;
• improve risk management in Food Safety processes;
• assesses customer requirements and to proves compliance with those pre-agreed with customers' requirements related to Food Safety, in order to increase customer satisfaction;
• communicate effectively with its suppliers, customers and other interested parties in the food chain on Food Safety issues;
• ensure compliance with the declared Food Safety policy and to demonstrate strong links with the Alimentarius Code;
• demonstrate this compliance to other interested parties, and
• receive certification or registration of the Food Safety management system from an external organization, or to declare compliance with this International Standard.
 
Food Safety preventes, eliminates and controles food hazards from the place of production to the place of consumption. As a hazard to Food Safety may arise at any stage of the process, each unit of the food supply chain must take adequate control over the hazards. In fact, Food Safety can only be maintained through the joint efforts of all parties: governments, producers, retailers and customers.
The ISO 22000 standard can be applied both independently and in an Integrated Management System with other standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IFS Food, BRCGS and others.
 

ISO 22000:2018 (BDS EN ISO 22000:2018) Food safety management systems