How To Develop Food Safety Policy: Iso 22000 Standard

By Author: John
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The most crucial component of ISO 22000 food safety management systems is the food safety policy, which essentially set the scope into motion and is the first document that auditors initially examine. Using the ISO 22000 food safety policy, the aim is to outline the organization's commitment to food safety and continuous improvement in preventative performance across the whole food chain. A solid, concise food safety policy can act as a springboard for creating an excellent ISO 22000 food safety management system (FSMS) as well as a point of reference for sustaining ongoing progress. The policy should be constantly reviewed and adjusted as appropriate to reflect shifting priorities in food safety. The policy should serve two purposes: first, it should induce attention to food safety issues that are connected to business operations, products, and services; and second, it should function externally. The public commitment to addressing food safety issues and continuously enhancing food safety assurance is expressed in the food safety policy. The ISO 22000 food safety policy must address the following, by the ISO 22000 FSMS standard:

• ...
... Describe, document, and communicate the food safety policy
• Ensure include Organization’s appropriate role in the food chain (What are you doing?)
• Conformity to the applicable regulatory and statutory requirements including mutually agreed-on customer FS requirements
• Communicate, maintain and implement at all levels of the organization
• Review for continued suitability (ISO 22000: Clause - 5.8)
• Review for adequate communication (ISO 22000: Clause - 5.6)
• Include measurable objectives

A food safety policy must be created by management by the 22000 Standard. Management will draught a statement that expresses the company's dedication to offering a secure product. Establishing the target that the organization will constantly work to achieve will serve as the foundation for any business goals that support the policy. Once the food safety policy has been formed, quantifiable targets can be set, and when they are achieved, they will enable an organization to comply with the policy's requirements. Ensure that everyone in the organization is aware of the food safety policy and their responsibility for seeing to it that it is followed. Also, here are some pieces of Advice that can help in Developing an effective Food Safety Policy for the organization.

• Develop a policy development team that reflects the perspectives of various employees within the company (for example, line worker, owner, wastewater treatment operator, quality inspector, compliance/legal manager, and production manager).
• Display the policy statement given to all employees; the policy should be available to the public and customers if requested and be printed in languages other than English, as appropriate.
• Include top management signatures on the policy to demonstrate understanding and commitment.

Also, in most organizations used this procedure to develop and write the company’s food safety policy.

Step I: A team dedicated to creating and writing the food safety policy will be formed by the team leader for food safety. At the very most, the policy will cover compliance, food safety, and ongoing improvement.

Step II: The policy development team will examine other pertinent papers to make sure it is consistent with other corporate policies and to provide guidance for the policy's content and wording. Examples of documents include the organization's mission statement, which connects to the components of food safety.

Step III: The policy will be presented to all employees and explained to new hires; it will also be made available to the public (upon request) and consumers in languages other than English, as necessary (as appropriate).

Step IV: The food safety team leader will at least yearly review and, if necessary, then improve the food safety policy.