Food manufacturers – new tool to control hazards

STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND MEDIA RELEASE

2 May 2010

Food manufacturers – new tool to control hazards

Thousands of food manufacturers worldwide stand to benefit from a newly published document in the ISO 22000 series designed to prevent and control food safety hazards. Prerequisite programmes on food safety – Part 1: Food manufacturing, ISO technical specification ISO/TS 22002-1:2009, sets out requirements for prerequisite programmes needed to realise safe products and provide food that is safe for human consumption.

ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 is intended to be used in conjunction with, and to support, ISO 22000:2005 Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organization in the food chain.

‘As the introduction of food safety hazards can occur at the manufacturing stage of the food supply chain, a hygienic environment is essential,’ says Jacob Faergemand, Chair of the subcommittee responsible for the ISO 22000 series. ‘That is why this ISO technical specification is very useful to reduce the likelihood that products will be exposed to hazards, that they will be contaminated, and that hazards will proliferate.’

ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 has a huge potential impact since at least 8206 organisations in 112 countries were independently certified to ISO 22000:2005 at the end of 2008. (This is an increase on the figure announced in The ISO survey of certifications – 2008 as fresh information has allowed the total for France to be updated from 18 to 122.)

ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining prerequisite programmes designed to help food manufacturers to be able to control:

-the likelihood of introducing food safety hazards to the product through the work environment -biological, chemical, and physical contamination of the product, including cross contamination between products -food safety hazard levels in the product and product-processing environment.

ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 applies to all organisations involved in the manufacturing step of the food chain, regardless of size or complexity.

‘ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 is the first technical specification in a series planned for relevant food sector prerequisite programmes (PRP),’ says Jacob. ‘It is expected that other parts of the food chain will over time ask for specific PRP based on the same model. This proves that ISO has now established the structure to help and facilitate the future needs for the worldwide food industry.’

Order ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 or ISO 22000:2005 from www.standards.co.nz (enter ‘22002-1’ in search panel and select ISO button), email enquiries@standards.co.nz, or call 0800 782 632. To order PDFs of ISO Standards email enquiries@standards.co.nz or call 0800 782 632 during business hours.

Keywords

Food safety Standard, food manufacturers, food chain, food safety hazards, food safety management systems.

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