This course discusses the requirements of ISO 22000:2018, the international standard for a food safety management system.

ISO 22000 can be implemented by any organization from the food chain, regardless of its size or activity. It is suitable for all types of food production and just as well it can be applied in other activities part of the food chain like farming, the production of feed and animal food, food retail, catering, manufacture of food packaging or various food-related services like transportation, warehousing or cleaning and sanitation.

A food safety management system is aimed at identifying, understanding and addressing the different hazards (i.e. microbiological, chemical, physical, allergens), so that the customers and consumers can be assured that food is safe for consumption.

The structure of the course includes:

- an introductory part that discusses the concept of food safety, the principles of HACCP and the standards in the ISO 22000 series;

- section Context of the organization (Chapter 4 of the standard) that discusses internal and external issues relevant to the organization, needs and expectations of interested parties and the the scope of the food safety management system;

- section Leadership (Chapter 5 of ISO 22000) about the support of the top management for the food safety system, about the food safety policy and the food safety team;

- section Planning (Chapter 6) about risks and opportunities, food safety objectives and the planning of change;

- section Support (Chapter 7) on resources for the food safety system, competence, awareness, the processes, products and services from external providers, infrastructure and the work environment, external and internal communication and the food safety system documentation;

- section Operation (Chapter 8) about prerequisite programmes according to ISO/TS 22002-1 (buildings, utilities, waste disposal, equipment cleaning and maintenance, the prevention of cross contamination, allergen management, cleaning and sanitation programmes, pest control, personnel hygiene requirements and employee facilities, rework, warehousing, food defence or bioterrorism); food traceability; the preparation for emergency situations; food safety hazard identification; the hazard assessment; critical control points (CCPs) and operational prerequisite programmes (OPRPs), the hazard control plan; the validation of control measures;  the handling of potentially unsafe products and the withdrawal/ recall procedures.

- section Performance evaluation (Chapter 9) about how to monitor and measure the food safety management system, about internal audits and the reviews of the FSMS from the top management;

- section Improvement (Chapter 10) on how to deal with nonconformities, corrections and corrective actions, how to improve and update continually the food safety management system.

- a final part with a information about the certification to ISO 22000 and the conclusions of the course.

Learn about what an organization must do to prevent unsafe food from reaching the consumers, with an internationally accepted standard.