Food safety management system
ISO 22000
ISO 22000:2018 – Food Safety Management System
It is an international standard that lays out the requirements of any food safety management system, merging all the vital elements of ISO 9001 (quality management) and the HACCP approach under one umbrella so that there can be an overall view of food safety concerns.
The 2018 version is the high-level structure of ISO 22000:2018, designed to blend with other standards of the management system for easier implementation. Considering the growing food industry of Bahrain and the ambition for international trade, this standardisation has gained importance as one of the cornerstones for the food safety management practices in this nation. By referring to the FSMS standard, this certification comes with a framework that has a scope ranging from farm-to-fork and is concerned with food safety.
Organizations that ensure the quality and safety of the food products implemented this certification to assist them in the following issues:
- Compliance with regulatory requirements
- Build customer confidence
- Obtain competitive advantage in the market
Importance of ISO 22000 Certification in Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain is one of the major ports for food imports and exports. This standard is highly necessary in conducting business in Bahrain due to the following reasons:
- Compliance with Local and International Regulations: Businesses must comply with Bahrain food safety regulations and also internationally to be sustainable; they should follow international standards.
- Access to Market: It facilitates easier access to the global market.
- Consumer Confidence: Certification guarantees the consumer that food products come to meet strict safety standards.
- Risk Management: The risk-based approach of the standard lets the organizations identify and monitor possible food safety hazards.
It has wide scope. It covers all the organizations involved in the food chain;
- First producers, i.e., farms, fisheries, etc.
- Manufacturing and processing industries.
- Distributors and retailers.
- Service providers such as transporters and storage places.
Suppliers of packaging equipment and cleaning agents.
Principles of ISO 22000:2018
It is based on following:
- People Engagement: All stakeholders must be committed to food safety.
- Leadership Commitment: Top management plays a significant role in initiating and maintaining the FSMS.
- Process Approach: Focusing on critical processes in obtaining the needed results.
- 4. Risk-Based Thinking: To identify the hazards and opportunities for increasing food safety.
- Continual Improvement: Fostering continued analysis and adjustment of the FSMS.
Steps for obtaining ISO 22000 Certification in Bahrain
Steps are as follows:
- Gap Analysis: Analyze the gap between the existing process and requirements of standard.
- Training and Awareness: Educate employees about related courses that provide information about the standard’s fundamentals and implementation.
- FSMS Implementation: Formulate and implement all processes and controls.
- Internal Audit: Internal audit for the identification of non-conformities.
- Management Review: Review the effectiveness and preparedness of FSMS.
- Certification Audit: Engage an accredited certification body to perform the audit.
- Issuance: Obtain ISO 22000 certification once the audit is completed without major nonconformities.
Courses of ISO 22000 Certification in Bahrain
All training courses will include a variety of aspects related to the standard, including:
- Understand food safety hazards.
- Development of prerequisite programs (PRPs).
- Implementation of the PDCA cycle.
- Combination of this standard with other management systems.
These are available in Bahrain from accredited training providers so that the content would be tailored to the specific business needs of the businesses involved.
ISO 22000 Internal Auditor Training Course
The internal auditors have a big role in ensuring compliance. Through this Internal Auditor Training Course, participants are empowered to be able to:
- Plan, conduct and report internal audits.
- Identify gaps and non-conformities in the FSMS.
- Drive continual improvement.
This course is best for quality managers, food safety team members and those in charge of managing the FSMS.
Industries where ISO 22000 Certification applies in Bahrain
Bahrain food business includes both the local products, the processed and international imports. This way, its application areas are quite large.
- Hospitality Industry, to keep the food safely handled in hotels and restaurants.
- Food processing companies to maintain quality of their processing of foods.
- Supermarket and grocery shops; this way they may minimize risk in these companies.
- Export businesses, including how it will meet requirements while importing to international market.
As Bahrain continues to consolidate its position as a food industry leader in the GCC, this particular certification will continue to be an important part of its strategy. With growing consumer awareness and regulatory scrutiny, businesses need to focus on food safety to survive in the competitive market.
Why choose Apexsc for ISO 22000 certification in Bahrain?
Apexsc is one of the authentic companies for ISO certifications and training. We provide professional advisory services to guide the companies on how they can efficiently meet the criteria.
Our well-experienced team helps all firms implement sustainable practices, enhance compliance, and improve performance on food safety metrics. Like the client-centric approach to excellence, Apexsc ensures that each process of a business is hassle-free and seamless.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any business that deals with the food supply chain would benefit from ISO 22000 certification. This includes:
- Food manufacturers
- Restaurants and catering businesses
- Food packaging companies
- Farms and agricultural producers
- Transport and logistics companies dealing with food
The time taken to attain ISO 22000 certification will depend on the size and complexity of your organization as well as your preparedness. Assuming that your current systems are quite ready, then 3 to 6 months may be used to attain the certification.
This would depend on the size of the organization, scope of certification and fees levied by the certification body. Some of the factors affecting the cost of ISO 22000 are gap analysis, training, and implementation costs, along with a certification audit.
HACCP is a systematic approach for the identification and control of food safety hazards. ISO 22000 combines the principles of HACCP but extends this with a comprehensive framework of the food safety management system that focuses on communication, documentation and continuous improvement.
Yes, ISO 22000 is scalable, and its implementation can be carried out by any size of business. This standard can be customized by SMEs according to their needs but in a manner that brings benefits similar to those that bigger organizations would achieve.
