Quality & operations
ISO 22000
ISO 22000 (Food safety management)
ISO 22000 is the global standard for a food safety management system. We support the management-system, documentation and audit-readiness work and coordinate the external certification body, partnering with food safety specialists where needed.
What ISO 22000 is
ISO 22000 is the international standard for a food safety management system for organisations across the food supply chain. It combines the structure of an ISO management system with hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles and prerequisite programmes so that food safety hazards are identified and controlled.
Certification is awarded by an independent, accredited certification body following an audit, not by a consultancy. tr3labs supports the management-system, governance and audit-readiness side of the work and partners with food safety and food science specialists for technical hazard matters; we do not provide food science expertise ourselves.
The structure of the standard
Clause 4 · Context of the organisation
Sets the food safety management system boundaries, interested parties and the processes needed across the supply chain.
Clause 5 · Leadership
Requires top management to own the food safety policy, assign roles and ensure a food safety culture is supported.
Clause 6 · Planning
Covers actions to address risks and opportunities and the setting of measurable food safety objectives.
Clause 7 · Support
Addresses the resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information the system depends on.
Clause 8 · Operation
Holds the operational core, including prerequisite programmes, hazard analysis and the hazard control plan.
Clauses 9 and 10 · Evaluation and improvement
Require monitoring, internal audit, management review and corrective action to keep the system effective over time.
HACCP principles
Hazard analysis and critical control points sit inside Clause 8, identifying significant hazards and the controls that manage them.
Prerequisite programmes (PRPs)
Basic hygiene and operational conditions, such as cleaning, pest control and premises, that underpin the hazard controls.
Who needs it
- Food producers, processors, packagers and distributors across the supply chain
- Caterers, retailers and service providers that handle food
- Organisations whose customers or regulators require a recognised food safety certificate
What you get
- A gap assessment and prioritised roadmap against ISO 22000
- Management-system documentation, prerequisite programmes and HACCP-based plans
- An internal audit programme and management review records
- Certification readiness and support through the external audit
Timelines depend on the size of your organisation, the complexity of your food operations and your starting point. We scope it honestly up front rather than promise a fixed number of weeks.
Current version
The current edition is ISO 22000:2018, which replaced ISO 22000:2005 and adopted the common high-level structure shared by other ISO management system standards. It separates risk at the organisational level from hazard control at the operational level and distinguishes operational prerequisite programmes from critical control points. No replacement edition has been published, so organisations should continue to work to the 2018 text while watching for ISO review announcements.
What it costs
Two costs usually sit side by side. tr3labs charges a scoped advisory and implementation fee that we quote up front once we understand the size of your organisation, the complexity of your food operations and your starting point. Because ISO 22000 certification is awarded by an independent, accredited certification body after an audit, that body charges separately on its own schedule for the audit and the surveillance cycle that follows, and tr3labs is never the certifier or auditor. We scope the work with you rather than quote blind.
How tr3labs gets you there
Scope and gap assessment
We define the management-system scope, map your current practices against ISO 22000, and hand you a prioritised roadmap to close the gaps.
Build the management system
We help you produce the documentation, prerequisite programmes and HACCP-based plans the standard requires and set up the processes it expects. We focus on the management system and partner with food safety specialists for technical hazard analysis.
Internal audit and evidence
We run internal audits and a management review so the system is operating and evidenced before an external auditor arrives.
Certification support
We prepare you for the audit by your chosen accredited certification body and support you through to the certificate and the surveillance cycle that follows. tr3labs is not the certification body.
ISO 22000 vs ISO 9001
Both are ISO management system standards built on the same high-level structure, so teams often assume one covers the other.
| ISO 22000 | ISO 9001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Food safety across the supply chain | Quality management of any product or service |
| Core idea | Control food safety hazards | Meet customer and quality requirements |
| Who asks for it | Food buyers, retailers and regulators | Customers and tenders in any sector |
| Distinct element | HACCP and prerequisite programmes | Customer focus and process quality |
| Audit model | Accredited certification body audit | Accredited certification body audit |
| Often held with | ISO 9001 and HACCP schemes | ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 |
ISO 22000 FAQ
- How much does ISO 22000 certification cost?
- Our scoped advisory and implementation fee is quoted up front; separately, the accredited certification body that awards certification after an audit charges on its own schedule for the audit and the surveillance cycle. tr3labs is never the certifier or auditor.
- How long does ISO 22000 take?
- It depends on the size of your organisation, the complexity of your food operations and your starting point. We scope the timeline honestly up front rather than promise a fixed number of weeks.
- Does tr3labs provide food science expertise?
- No. tr3labs supports the management-system, documentation, internal audit and audit-readiness work. For hazard analysis and food science matters we partner with food safety specialists so your system is both compliant and technically sound.
- How does ISO 22000 relate to HACCP?
- ISO 22000 incorporates HACCP principles within a wider management-system framework that adds prerequisite programmes, leadership and continual improvement. If you already run HACCP, that work feeds directly into an ISO 22000 system.
- Does tr3labs issue the ISO 22000 certificate?
- No. Certification is awarded by an independent, accredited certification body after an audit. tr3labs builds and runs the management system with you, prepares the evidence, and supports you through the audit.
Related standards
Related reading
The OWASP LLM Top 10, Explained: A Plain-English Guide for Teams Shipping AI Features
A clear, practical walkthrough of the OWASP Top 10 risks for large language model applications, with a plain-English description and a concrete mitigation for each, aimed at teams adding AI features for the first time.
9 min read
How to Read a Penetration Test (VAPT) Report: A Plain-English Guide for Teams
A practical walkthrough of what goes into a penetration test report, section by section, so founders and engineering teams can read one with confidence and act on what it says.
8 min read
SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: an honest comparison to help you choose
A plain-English guide to the real differences between SOC 2 and ISO 27001: what each one is, who asks for which, how the audits work, what you end up holding, and whether you should do both.
8 min read