In July, our company underwent an audit by ISO 22000 international standard determining requirements for food safety management system.
The ISO 22000 Standard is intended for certification of food safety management systems of the organizations involved in the food chain.
Below are the necessary requirements for food industry enterprises prescribed in the ISO 22000 Standard:
- Ensuring safety of the issued products in the course of production and storage;
- Use of only specialized production techniques, machinery, devices and equipment;
- Safe operation of buildings and premises; timely inspection and maintenance of equipment;
- Timely and adequate supply of water, steam and air;
- Proper use of raw materials and substance used in production;
- Proper handling of half-finished products and finished foodstuffs;
- Measures to prevent contamination of surfaces and equipment;
- Control over appearance of pests;
- Sanitary and hygiene measures;
- Hygiene and health of the staff employed by the enterprise.
This Standard is designed to help organizations participating in the food chain, regardless of their size, to definitely fill in their market segments and successfully expand its boundaries and meet the requirements of the concerned parties, including clients of the organization.
Organizations enjoy a number of advantages from introducing a food safety management system by the requirements of ISO 22000 standard.
- Internal advantages:
- The standard is based on a systematic approach to all the parameters of food safety at each stage of the technological process;
- Control over all the parameters affecting the safety of the original products;
- Distribution of responsibility for ensuring safety measures for the production and storage of food products;
- Concentration of the main efforts and resources of the enterprise on the identified critical and control points;
- Timely use of preventive measures.
- External advantages:
- Increased consumer confidence in the manufactured products;
- Expanded product market;
- Higher competitiveness of the enterprises and products;
- Growth of investment attractiveness;
- Building a solid reputation as a manufacturer of quality and safe food;
- Error-free identification of control points and obtaining the necessary timely level of control over such points.