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In the
UK today, there has never been such intense scrutiny of the food we
eat, where it came from, how it got there, how it was packaged,
prepared, cooked and presented. Everyone wants to know- the whole
supply chain, the press, and especially the consumer.
Concerns for food safety, and
increasingly food security, have resulted in legal action on a scale
not previously seen. Recent headlines have reported tough prison
sentences for directors and massive fines for businesses, both of
which can, directly or indirectly, affect the whole food chain. The
cost of rectifying the processes as a result of such cases can run
into millions, while the loss of the production facility, or the
reputation of the supplier, is harder to quantify. Every business,
large or small, can be affected, whether local produce or sourced
from around the world, through the processing and packaging, to final
cooking and presentation.
Roderick Hogarth from
International Standards experts, IMSM, explains. "It's not as
if the industry is completely unregulated- on the contrary, there are
many different regulations and controls which aim to provide a
framework to help the industry comply and ensure safety throughout
the process. However, one of these, the international standard on
food safety, ISO 22000:2005, is intended to define the requirements
for companies that want to go further."
Based on the universally
recognized ISO standards, including ISO9001 (Quality Management
Systems), this standard brings together the acknowledged key elements
of food safety throughout the food chain. These include putting in
place interactive communications, management of systems and
processes, control of food safety hazards through pre-requisite
programmes and HACCP plans, and continual improvement and updating of
the management system. Where a business already holds ISO9001,
processes are in place which can be readily integrated with
ISO22000:2005.
Roderick Hogarth continues, "Wherever
your business is in the global food chain, certifying to the
requirements of ISO 22000 brings quantifiable benefits. Customers and
suppliers, whether wholesale or retail, all recognize that holding
the standard means your business has been externally audited to an
international standard, and complies with the Codex HACCP principles.
By a pro-active approach, planning each set of processes carefully,
and ensuring they are fully documented and regularly communicated to
staff, you can set up the right systems. A good assessor will have
experience in the food sector, and help anticipate problems before
they arise, then work with you to find the best solutions. "
As a global standard, ISO22000
provides marketing opportunities in both developed and emerging
markets, and proof that your organisation is serious about food
safety. Process efficiencies can lead to real cost savings, while
documentation is improved, and helps with training staff. Achieving
ISO22000 doesn't need to be disruptive, either, and it can save time
when completing supplier questionnaires- they know that your business
works to a recognised and sustained standard.
With scores of different schemes
in various countries worldwide relating to food safety and the supply
chain, each providing for various levels of checks, balances and
procedures, ISO22000 helps make it easier for organisations to
implement a practical, management driven system for food hygiene in a
harmonised way.
www.imsm.com
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