What FSSC 22000 is and why buyers ask for it
FSSC 22000 — Food Safety System Certification — is a complete, internationally recognised certification scheme for food safety. It is built on the ISO 22000 management system standard and extends it with sector-specific prerequisite programmes and additional requirements, producing a scheme that is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
That GFSI recognition is the reason FSSC 22000 carries so much commercial weight. Major retailers and brand owners increasingly require a GFSI-benchmarked certification before they will list a supplier, and FSSC 22000 is one of the most widely accepted. For manufacturers selling into international retail, it is often the difference between being on the shelf and being passed over.
What certification covers
Certification is a two-stage assessment that examines the whole food safety system, including:
- The ISO 22000 food safety management system foundation
- Sector-specific prerequisite programmes (PRPs) appropriate to your activity
- The additional FSSC requirements that complete the scheme
- Hazard analysis, traceability and management of incidents and recalls
Surveillance audits across the three-year cycle confirm the system is maintained.
How ABS helps
We prepare you for the certification audit in five steps, tailored to FSSC 22000:
- Scope and gap assessment — we agree the scope of your food safety system and assess what you already have against the standard, so you know exactly what to close.
- Implementation — we help you build the ISO 22000 food safety management system with the sector-specific prerequisite programmes and the additional FSSC requirements, including hazard analysis, traceability and incident and recall management.
- Internal audit and management review — we help you run the internal audit and management review the standard requires, so the system has a record of operating before the audit.
- Readiness check — a pre-assessment, approached the way an auditor would approach it, highlights anything still to close.
- Audit support — we support you through the certification body’s Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits and help you close any findings.
FSSC 22000 Version 7
Version 7 of the scheme was published on 7 May 2026. Audits against Version 6 are permitted until 30 April 2027, and certified organisations move to Version 7 through an upgrade audit held between 1 May 2027 and 30 April 2028. The most visible change is the move to the new ISO 22002 series for prerequisite programmes — a common ISO 22002-100:2025 baseline with sector-specific parts — replacing the previous ISO/TS 22002 and BSI PAS documents. We help you assess the gap to Version 7, update your prerequisite programmes and prepare for your certification body’s upgrade audit.
Typical timeline
For most food manufacturers, FSSC 22000 certification takes around 12–16 weeks from kick-off, depending on the size and complexity of the operation and how mature the existing food safety system is. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
How is FSSC 22000 different from ISO 22000?
FSSC 22000 is built on ISO 22000 but adds sector-specific prerequisite programmes and extra requirements, creating a scheme recognised by GFSI. Major retailers often specify a GFSI-recognised scheme like FSSC 22000, whereas ISO 22000 alone is not GFSI-benchmarked.
Who can apply for FSSC 22000?
Organisations across the food chain — food and ingredient manufacturers, packaging producers, and operations covered by the scheme’s scopes such as transport, storage and catering — especially where customers require a GFSI-recognised certification. Those starting out often build from HACCP and ISO 22000 first.
How long does FSSC 22000 certification take?
For most food manufacturers, FSSC 22000 certification takes around 12–16 weeks from kick-off, depending on the size and complexity of the operation and how mature the existing food safety system is.
What does ABS do, and what does the certification body do?
ABS prepares you for certification: we agree the scope of your food safety system, assess the gaps, help you implement ISO 22000 with the sector prerequisite programmes and the additional FSSC requirements, support your internal audit and management review, check readiness and support you through the audits. The certification body, an accredited body licensed by the Foundation FSSC, carries out the audits, makes the certification decision and issues the certificate.
How long is an FSSC 22000 certificate valid?
Three years, with surveillance audits in between and a recertification audit before the cycle ends. At least one audit in each three-year cycle is unannounced.
Can FSSC 22000 be combined with other standards?
Yes. FSSC 22000 is built on ISO 22000, which shares the harmonised structure of ISO management system standards, so it can run as one integrated management system with, for example, ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, and certification bodies can often audit them together.
Which version of FSSC 22000 is current, and is there a transition?
The current version is FSSC 22000 Version 7, published on 7 May 2026. Audits against Version 6 are permitted until 30 April 2027, and certified organisations move to Version 7 through an upgrade audit between 1 May 2027 and 30 April 2028.
