How to Initialise Implementation of ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems

This Article will guide reader that How to initialise the process of installation of food safety management system as per ISO 22000:2005 standard. Food safety management system is related to the presence of food borne hazards in food at the point of consumption. As the introduction of food safety hazards in ISO 22000 can occur at any stage of the food chain, adequate control throughout the food chain is essential. Thus, food safety is ensured through the combined efforts of all personnel.

ISO 22000 needs a generic document and it does not specify "how" to do, but only states "what" to do. As per the standard, the Food Safety Management System should be documented and be demonstrable in the manner consistent with the requirements of ISO 22000:2005 models. The total demonstration in the Food safety management System consists of following.

1. Interactive communication
2. System management
3. Prerequisite programmes
4. HACCP principle

The total demonstration in the Food safety management System consists of following Documents.

1. Food Safety Manual
2. Procedures to follow
3. Exhibits / HACCP Plan / Hazard analysis
4. Work Instruction/Operating Procedure Manual
5. Forms, Records

The amount of ISO22000 documentation should support and efficient quality assurance system without creating a paper bureaucracy. The details for documenting above four tiers of documents are described in this paper. The total documentation needed for ISO: 22000 comprises of four tiers as shown above.

Need for ISO 22000 Document Control: -

The Food safety management system consists of a number of documents. Some system should be provided for safe keeping of complex records. It is important to clearly define as to where they should be kept and for how long, and who is responsible for them. Each written procedure should be checked and signed by an authorised person, with issue number and issue date. The Food safety team leader should have a list of all completed procedures, applicable to the individual departmental activities. Against each listed document the number should be shown together with the date of the latest change. It is also called a "Master Copy". It is a yardstick against which any other controlled copy can be judged.

From time to time the Committee for Management Review and Corrective Action may put forward recommendations for change in the procedure. The Food safety team leader should be responsible for implementing the change. For making a change, the new page should be circulated to the keeper of the controlled copy of the document with an instruction to insert the new page in order and return the replaced page to the Food safety team leader. Thus outdated documents will be removed from circulation. The staff should know the change, which has been made, and everyone should implement the new procedure.

Formation of a Safety Team for Documentation and Hazard Analysis under ISO 22000:-

A safety team in a company should be appointed for Hazard analysis huge documentation of system to complete the work in targeted time with the help of different committees as per details given below.

Steering Committee:-

The Steering Committee should consist of person from top management and a "food Safety Team Leader", who should preferably be "Quality Assurance Manager". The top management person will be responsible in formulating "Food Safety policy", management reviews, contract reviews, defining responsibilities, provide adequate resources for implementation etc.

The "Food Safety Team Leader" is responsible for making ISO 22000 Documents by giving management intention to achieve Food Safety with reference to different clauses of ISO 22000 standard and document macro level system. He is also responsible for documenting general procedure applicable to all and ensuring effective distribution of the food safety policy, distribution of controlled copies and the amendments in those copies (document control), resolving all food safety matters arising within a company, with customers, vendors and the certifying authority.

Food safety team: -

It should consist of the departmental heads and food safety team leader. They will be responsible for hazard analysis as well as also responsible for hazard assessment. The appointed team leader will be responsible for approval of various documents and flow diagrams too.

Steps To Be Followed Initially: -

1. A "Food Safety Policy" should be first evolved by the Top management. He can take the help of senior managers.
2. Based on the company's Food Safety Policy, the broad objectives and activities for each department have to be decided and fitted into the relevant clauses. For this, the department heads should give draft write-up of the activities in their department. Then it should be meticulously scrutinized to ensure that the system is sufficient to achieve the company's objectives or benchmarks. The clauses applicable to each department of the company are identified.
3. Organization chart should be chalked out and the responsibility and authority of each personnel mentioned in the organization chart should be documented. Personnel authorized to take decisions must be included in the organization chart. Preparation of the chart will help in identifying and documenting the responsibility for activities under each clause.
4. A suitable numbering system, department wise and clause wise should be decided which can be made applicable to the remaining tiers of documentation.
5. An appointment of Food safety team leader.
6. An appointment of Food safety team.
7. Training of the personal including Top management to workforce.
8. Hazard Analysis and HACCP Plan
9. Follow up of the same.
10. Follow up of the various clauses of standard and complies through various documented procedure and records.
11. Verification and analysis of system as per standard requirements and updation of system.

The Process of Document Approval, Issue and Control: -

• Prior to issuing, the Document should be subjected to a final review by responsible individuals to assure clarity, accuracy, suitability and proper structure. The intended users may also have the opportunity to comment on the usability of the document. The release authorization, by the level of management responsible for complete implementation of the new document or its individual sections, should then be granted and incorporated in all copies.
• The internal distribution of the document, whether in total or by section, should assure that all users have appropriate access. Proper distribution and control can be assured by numerical numbering of copies for recipients. Food Safety team leader assure individual familiarity with document content appropriate to each user within the organization.
• A method of providing for the development, control and incorporation of change to the Document should be provided. This task should be assigned to an appropriate document control function. The same rules and procedures used in developing the basic document should apply to the processing of changes.