ISO 22000 certification, explained
ISO 22000 is the standard for food safety management systems that applies to any organization in the food chain, from producers and processors to packaging makers, transport and catering. It combines the HACCP method (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) with a management system, so that food safety hazards are identified, controlled and reviewed. Independent certification bodies audit it; ISO does not certify.
Updated 5 November 2026
Info. Showing a standard does not mean a partner holds scope for it. How matching works.
Who it may be relevant for
- Food and beverage manufacturers and processors
- Packaging, ingredient and equipment suppliers to the food industry
- Catering, storage, distribution and transport businesses handling food
- Suppliers whose customers ask for a recognised food safety management system
What it covers
- Hazard analysis and the control of significant food safety hazards using HACCP principles
- Prerequisite programmes for hygiene, cleaning, pest control and facility upkeep
- Traceability, withdrawal and recall arrangements
- Communication along the food chain with suppliers, customers and authorities
- Emergency preparedness, internal audit and management review
What it can help with
- A structured way to find and control food safety hazards before they reach the consumer
- Better traceability and a more prepared response if a problem has to be investigated
- Common language with suppliers and customers about hazards and controls
- A management system structure that integrates with ISO 9001
What the pathway means
ISO 22000 is a certifiable management-system standard. An independent certification body audits your food safety management system against it and makes the certification decision, following Stage 1, Stage 2, a decision, surveillance audits and recertification. Certification bodies are assessed for the food chain categories they cover, so category scope matters. Some buyers expect a different food safety scheme instead, so confirm with the buyer which one they accept. MIYAAR CONNECT does not audit or certify. We connect your inquiry with independent certification bodies.
Edition. ISO 22000:2018 is the current edition, with Amendment 1:2024 on climate-change considerations. ISO lists a draft revision in development, so a new edition may follow. Ask your certification body how any change would affect your audit planning. We do not state transition deadlines.
The typical process
Steps and timing vary by body and scope. This is the usual shape, not a promise.
- You and us
Your inquiry
You describe your needs and share the basics.
- Certification body
Application and contract review
The body reviews your scope, sites and size, then quotes.
- Certification body
Stage 1 audit
A readiness review of your management system documentation.
- Certification body
Stage 2 audit
An evaluation of how the system works in practice.
- This part is theirs
Certification decision
Made by the certification body, never by MIYAAR CONNECT.
- Certification body
Surveillance and recertification
Periodic surveillance audits, then recertification at the end of the cycle.
Where it is typically used
- A dairy or bakery formalising hazard analysis, critical limits and monitoring records
- A packaging manufacturer showing food contact customers how it controls contamination risks
- A distributor of chilled goods documenting temperature control, storage and traceability
What affects cost
- Number of employees
- Number of sites
- Complexity of what you do and its risks
- The food chain category and the hazard profile of your products and processes
- The number of production lines, shifts and sites, and how much seasonal production is included
- Whether auditors need sector-specific competence, for example for meat, dairy or sterile products
- Whether you also hold or are planning another food safety scheme that affects audit planning
What affects timing
- Time to complete hazard analysis, validate controls and collect monitoring records
- Seasonal production, since auditors need to see the relevant activities running
- Fixing prerequisite programme gaps on site, for example hygiene zoning or pest control
- How the pending revision of the standard affects how your certification body schedules the audit
What to have ready
- A list of products, production processes and the food chain category you operate in
- A description of sites, lines and shifts, plus any outsourced production or storage
- Customer or retailer requirements that name a specific food safety scheme
- Existing HACCP plans or certificates, described but not uploaded at the inquiry stage
- Recall or withdrawal procedure summary, if you have one
Accreditation and recognition
Accreditation of a certification body is specific to the categories of activity it is assessed for, so a certificate for one food chain category says nothing about another. Ask for the certificate number and scope, confirm the body's accreditation for your category with its accreditation body or through the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) arrangement, which took over from the IAF and ILAC on 1 January 2026. Some food buyers require a specific recognised scheme, and a general ISO 22000 certificate may not satisfy them. Ask the buyer.
Common questions
Is ISO 22000 the same as HACCP?
A customer asked for a food safety scheme. Is ISO 22000 enough?
Does it cover animal feed or packaging?
Does certification replace official inspections?
Related standards
Relevant industries
Useful reading
Sources
- ISO: ISO 22000:2018 food safety management systems (checked 5 November 2026)
- ISO: ISO/DIS 22000 draft revision (checked 5 November 2026)
Ask about availability for ISO 22000
We review availability for each inquiry. If no verified certification body fits your request, we will tell you plainly.