Businesses planning to obtain an ISO 22000 Certification must have a reliable Food Safety Management System in place that will meet client’s satisfaction and maintain international requirements. Nonetheless, several organisations encounter problems along the way. Such errors may either slow down the process of certification or render it less effective once it is achieved. This article pinpoints the main errors that should be avoided when seeking an ISO 22000 registration, more so for businesses seeking ISO Certification in India.
Lack of understanding of ISO 22000 requirements
Very often, businesses tend to recognise among the most common mistakes on their part an insufficient understanding of the ISO 22000 Certification requirements. ISO 22000 is a set of standards and guidelines for the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of a Food Safety Management System. The companies sometimes only focus on certain aspects like documentation or audit without considering other critical requirements like hazard analysis, traceability, or communication.Â
Gradually making all employees aware of the practices established within the ISO 22000 standard and its requirements concerned with certification enables a smooth flow of processes. Not all practitioners of the standard do so, and such shortcomings are one of the important reasons for non-conformities and even delays or failures in certification. Organisations in India wishing to have the certification should make provisions for consistent training and consultations to ensure that these errors do not occur.
Inadequate preparation of documentation
ISO-22000 certification is dependent on a comprehensive Food Safety Management System (FSMS) well documented and showing the company’s commitment to food safety and international standards. A major common pitfall is the failure of many organisations to maintain up-to-par or complete documentation. Missing or uncorrelated records on food safety policies, risk assessments, or operational procedures may thwart the certification process.
An organised, clear, and detailed documentation system is vital to the successful ISO 22000 Certification process. Detailed documentation serves as a benchmark for certification auditors and is instrumental in the proper functioning of food safety management. Not only must companies come up with proper and complete documents, but they must also ensure that they are readily available and current. This becomes all the more important for Indian manufacturers as they must now look into local regulations as well as industrial standards. Correct documentation will thus satisfy both the ISO 22000 requirements as well as national food safety regulations.Â
Underestimating the role of employee engagement
According to the ISO 22000 standard, every employee must be involved in the process, not only the top management or the quality control team. Often, an organisational failing is excluding the full bulk of workers from participating in the Food Safety Management System. If training and awareness programs are lacking, employees might not comprehend their requirements completely regarding food safety requirements, so compliance aspects may not be duly complied with.
For successful ISO Certification in India, organisations should implement a system whereby every employee of the organisation, including the frontline staff and upper management, is briefed on what is food safety culture. Employees need to be trained on the significance of food safety issues and how to follow the procedures so that they do not deviate. Underestimating the role of employees can lead to issues related to safety and its control measures, and these issues alone would deny organisations the ability to get an ISO 22000 Certification.
Ignoring risk management and hazard analysis
A prerequisite of ISO 22000 is performing extensive hazard analysis and risk assessment. This is seen in many organisations where a plan is thrust through the back burner without a comprehensive plan for risk management, and normal processes are stressed. Such situations make it reasonable to ignore or underplay the significance of such important aspects as hazard identification, and inevitably, issues during certification arise and compliance and food safety standards are threatened.
Risk management consists of the assessment of biological, chemical and physical threats that could be detrimental to food safety and instigating actions to control them. An inadequate risk assessment framework can result in exposure to significant risks, which will eventually translate to non-conformance during audit assessments. It is for this reason that organisations need to ensure that such a system is in place so that every stage of production is capable of identifying hazards and implementing necessary controls. Corrective measures should be put in place whenever risk assessments are carried out, and such measures should be consistent, which is vital for Indian organisations which have to take into account geographical risks and also food safety measures in the area.
Overlooking internal audits and corrective actions
Regular internal audits are an essential component of the ISO 22000 standard; however, many companies ignore or poorly conduct them. These audits are crucial for bringing out nonconformance and improvement areas before the actual certification audit. Without efficient internal audits, the problems may go unnoticed until the audit finality extent. And that could lay a heavy burden by leading to the rejection of the certification application.
To avoid that, businesses must have a very structured system of internal audits ready with a check on food safety. Internal audits favour frequent examinations that instantaneously give remedial actions for any noncompliance or inefficacies detected. Such internal audits must be recognised by Indian companies whose aspirations exist to ensure compliance as well as situate themselves at the forefront of regulatory and operational challenges.Â
Failure to maintain continuous improvement
ISO 22000 Certification is not a one-time achievement but a continuous commitment to food safety. Many organisations mistakenly take obtaining certification as a great goal to aim for. The standard, however, emphasises building ongoing improvement in Food Safety Management Systems. After certification, however, the improvement and regular evaluation of their systems should continue as changes are made to safety requirements and compliance.
When continuous improvement is neglected, stagnation sets in, which in turn deteriorates the product quality and customer satisfaction that is vital to the company’s future. It’s of utmost importance to have constant monitoring of food safety performance, improvement identification, and correction in all departments. For the companies in India seeking ISO certification, instilling a continuous improvement culture among all people through regular training, feedback, and optimising processes goes a long way in sustaining ISO 22000 compliance at various levels.Â
Conclusion
ISO 22000 Certification can substantially improve the assurance of the credibility of a food enterprise and compliance with food safety standards. However, the ISO Certification proves as a complex practice. Common blunders include incomplete or incorrect understanding of the requirements, absence of documentation, employee disengagement, ineffective risk management, ignoring audits, and flouting continuous improvement. For Indian companies, ISO 22000 is a compelling assertion of dedication to food safety. Organisations could certify themselves by proper planning, employee inclusion, and submission to the standard concern if they wish to engender augmentation to the Food Safety Management System, which can translate into a more efficient and successful economy.Â