FSSC 22000: GFSI Food Safety Certification
The GFSI certification scheme based on ISO 22000 for food manufacturers, packers and distributors. IgeraIndustria makes PRPs, FSSC additional requirements, TACCP, VACCP and audits instantly queryable.
V6
Current FSSC 22000 version (2023). New requirements: food safety culture, food defence and product authenticity.
GFSI
GFSI recognition: accepted by Nestle, Unilever, Danone, international retailers and food defence programmes.
ISO 22000
FSSC 22000 normative base: ISO 22000 + sector PRPs (ISO/TS 22002-x) + FSSC additional requirements.
Frequently asked questions — FSSC 22000
What is the difference between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000?
ISO 22000 is the ISO food safety management standard, but on its own it is not recognised by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative). FSSC 22000 is a certification scheme that combines ISO 22000 with sector-specific prerequisite programmes (PRPs: ISO/TS 22002-1 for food manufacturing, ISO/TS 22002-4 for packaging, etc.) and FSSC-specific additional requirements. This combination is GFSI-recognised. Companies needing acceptance from international retailers or global food sector customers (Nestle, Unilever, Danone) must certify under FSSC 22000 or another equivalent GFSI scheme, not simply under ISO 22000.
What are PRPs and which are mandatory in FSSC 22000?
PRPs (Prerequisite Programmes) are the basic hygiene and management conditions that must be established before implementing the HACCP system. In FSSC 22000, PRPs are documented according to the relevant sector standard: ISO/TS 22002-1 (food manufacturing), ISO/TS 22002-2 (catering), ISO/TS 22002-4 (food packaging), ISO/TS 22002-6 (animal feed production). PRPs include: pest control, hygiene and cleaning, facility maintenance, incoming material control, cross-contamination prevention, waste management, and personnel fitness.
What are the FSSC 22000 additional requirements that go beyond ISO 22000?
FSSC 22000 Version 6 (current) adds its own additional requirements on: management of purchased services and materials (updated specifications), product labelling (change control), food defence (TACCP: Threat Assessment Critical Control Points), product authenticity and integrity (VACCP: Vulnerability Assessment Critical Control Points), allergen management, food safety culture, and incident communication. These additional requirements are explicitly audited as part of the FSSC scheme and non-compliance can result in major non-conformances.
Does FSSC 22000 accept multiple sites under a single certificate?
Yes. FSSC 22000 allows multi-site certifications under certain criteria: the sites must have the same owner or legal control, the management system must be centralised with corporate internal audits, and the FSSC Foundation must approve the multi-site programme. This is especially relevant for food groups with several production plants wanting to maintain a single corporate certificate. Multi-site audits include central office audits plus sample audits of individual sites according to the FSSC protocol.