Food Safety certification – Publication of ISO 22003-1 and ISO 22003-2

As stakeholders in food safety may already be aware, an ISO Joint Working Group (JWG36) has been working on the revision of ISO/TS 22003 to become ISO 22003-1 (Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of food safety management systems) and ISO 22003-2 (Requirements for bodies providing evaluation and certification of products, processes and services, including an audit of the food safety system). ISO has recently announced that both standards shall proceed directly from the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage to publication, which is now expected in April 2022.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is currently working on guidance for the transition of certification bodies providing Food Safety Management System certification from ISO/TS 22003:2013 to ISO 22003-1:2022. In the meantime, UKAS has begun reviewing the changes, considering their impact, and preparing transition information for its assessment staff and accredited FSMS certification bodies.

The implementation of ISO 22003-2, as a new standard, is a different proposition and will impact upon food certification schemes that operate in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065. UKAS will work with its European and international partners and stakeholders to determine the implications of this new standard, and how this shall be implemented.

We shall keep CBs and other stakeholders updated as we receive further information on the processes and timeframes associated with the implementation of these standards.