Systematic Reviews in SC17

Systematic Review of ISO 22000:2018

Time flies, even in the world of standards. It is five (5) years since ISO/TC34/SC17 completed its revision of ISO 22000:2005 and issued the new improved version based on ISO’s harmonized structure (HS) for management system standards (MSS).  This means that ISO 22000:2018 Food safety management systems — Requirements for any organization in the food chain is up for its first systematic review.  ISO’s rules require each international standard to be submitted every five (5) years for review by the members of the technical or subcommittee that manages the standard. 

ISO Central Secretariat launches these reviews, but the members of ISO/TC34/SC17 Management systems for food safety participate in the ballot and can submit comments, proposals for changes, along with their vote to (i) confirm, (ii) revise or amend or (iii) withdraw the standard.  The ballot on ISO 22000:2018 closes on 4 June 2023.  ISO/TC34/SC17 member national standards bodies usually close their ballots and commenting opportunities several weeks in advance.

Users of ISO 22000:2018 are encouraged to make their views on the standard and any improvements required through their national standards body. 

It is likely that ISO 22000 will be opened for review within ISO/TC34/SC17 later this year.  There have been changes in the ISO harmonized structure for management system standards and ISO 22000 will need to be modified to accommodate them.  And, it’s likely that improvements will be suggested to the food safety requirements themselves to keep up with the changing expectations of the marketplace.

 

Systematic Review of ISO/TS 22002 series of PRPs under ISO 22000

Five of the six prerequisite programme standards in the ISO/TS 22002 series are up for review.  The reviews were launched by ISO Central Secretariat in January as part of its every third (3) years systematic review process.  The ballot and commenting period on each of the standards is set to close on 4 June 2023.

The five (5) standards under review are:

• ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 1: Food manufacturing;
• ISO/TS 22002-2:2013 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 2: Catering;
• ISO/TS 22002-4:2013 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 4: Food packaging manufacturing;
• ISO/TS 22002-5:2019 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 5: Transport and storage; and
• ISO/TS 22002-6:2016 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 6: Feed and animal food production.

These systematic reviews will feed into ISO/TC34/SC17’s broader workplan. This includes a ballot set to close on 2 February 2023 on a new work item proposal for a new standard -  ISO 22002-100 Prerequisite programmes on food safety — Part 100: PRPs requirements common for all food chain categories.  If approved, this project will result in a new set of core or common PRPs for the full supply chain (excluding farming/primary production which is being dealt with separately).  The ISO/TS 22002 Parts for food manufacturing, catering, food packaging, transport and storage, and feed and animal food production would then need to be revised .

It is expected that the new PRP standards (ISO 220002-100 plus the Parts) will resolve a longstanding challenge of differing requirements/language for specific prerequisite programmes where common wording would facilitate implementation, integration and audit for certification.

Users of ISO 22002 Parts 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 are encouraged to make their views on these standard and any improvements required through their national standards body.  The revision of the ISO 220002 series is a big project and expert input on the new ISO 22002-100 (the common elements) and each of the ISO 22002 Parts is needed.