Audits & Certifications

FSSC 22000: What It Is and How to Get Certified

By Claudia · · 6 min read

FSSC 22000: What It Is and How to Get Certified

FSSC 22000: What It Is and How to Get Certified

If you work in food quality, you've probably heard of FSSC 22000 as one of the most demanding and respected certification schemes in the industry. But what's actually behind the acronym? Why do more and more customers and retailers require it as a condition of doing business? In this article, we explain what the standard is, how it differs from ISO 22000, which requirements are hardest to meet during the audit, and how you can prepare efficiently with digital evidence management.

What FSSC 22000 is and why it's recognized by GFSI

FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification 22000) is a food safety management system certification scheme developed by the Foundation FSSC (FSSC 22000, n.d.). It isn't a standard in itself, but a framework that combines several existing standards — mainly ISO 22000 and ISO/TS 22002 — and adds its own scheme-specific requirements to guarantee a robust food safety system.

One of its biggest differentiators is that it's recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) (GFSI, n.d.), the international benchmark body that evaluates and endorses the leading food safety certification schemes. This GFSI recognition means FSSC 22000 has been assessed and meets its rigorous criteria, making it a passport accepted by major retail chains and food groups worldwide, from Europe to the Americas to Asia.

Who can get certified? The scheme applies to food and beverage manufacturers, manufacturers of food-contact packaging, ingredient and additive suppliers, and catering and industrial food-service companies, among others. Its modular structure adapts to different categories across the food chain, which makes it especially versatile. You can read the full definition in our FSSC 22000 glossary entry.

Differences between FSSC 22000 and ISO 22000: what the certification scheme adds

This is one of the most common questions among quality managers who already hold ISO 22000 certification and are considering the next step. The confusion is understandable: FSSC 22000 builds on ISO 22000, so what's the point of doing both?

The short answer is that FSSC 22000 is more demanding. While ISO 22000 sets out the general principles of a food safety management system — planning, HACCP implementation, management of prerequisite programs, continuous improvement — FSSC 22000 certification adds three extra layers not present in ISO 22000:

  • Sector-specific requirements (ISO/TS 22002-x): Depending on the company's category, specific technical specifications apply covering infrastructure, cleaning, allergen control, preventive maintenance, or waste management, among other aspects.
  • Additional FSSC scheme requirements: The Foundation FSSC publishes its own additional requirements that complement ISO 22000. These cover aspects such as food fraud management, food defense, allergen management, and food safety culture.
  • Certification program requirements: These relate to how the audit itself is managed: audit frequency, auditor competencies, the certification body's accreditation process, and so on.

If you want to dig deeper into ISO 22000 before taking the next step, we recommend reading our practical, definitive guide to ISO 22000.

The requirements that are hardest to meet in the audit: prerequisite programs, quality culture, and food fraud management

Talking to quality managers who have gone through an FSSC 22000 certification or recertification audit reveals the critical points where non-conformities tend to show up. These are the three big areas that require the most work:

Prerequisite programs (PRPs)

Prerequisite programs are the foundation the entire system rests on. They cover pest control, water management, cleaning and disinfection, facility maintenance, personnel hygiene, and allergen control. The problem usually isn't having them documented — it's proving that they're applied systematically and that verifiable evidence exists. Auditors look for consistent records, respected frequencies, and properly managed deviations.

Food safety culture

Since version 5.1 of the scheme, food safety culture has been an explicit requirement. Having procedures isn't enough; the organization must show that food safety is embedded in the values, attitudes, and behaviors of everyone, from management down to plant operators. Auditors assess internal communication plans, perception surveys, training, visible leadership from management, and tracking metrics. It's one of the hardest aspects to evidence because it's intangible by nature.

Food fraud management

Vulnerability to food fraud is another additional scheme requirement that raises a lot of questions. The company must carry out a vulnerability assessment of its raw materials and ingredients, identify which are most susceptible to adulteration or counterfeiting, and set up control and mitigation measures. This means having a documented plan, reviewing it periodically, and keeping records that show the assessment is updated whenever there are changes in the market or with suppliers.

How to prepare for FSSC 22000 certification with digital evidence instead of paper folders

One of the biggest shifts quality departments are going through is the move from physical binders to digital management systems. And it's not a cosmetic trend — it has a real impact on preparing for and maintaining FSSC 22000 certification.

When evidence lives on paper or in scattered spreadsheets, preparing for an audit can turn into weeks of work: gathering records, checking they're complete, spotting gaps, tracking down the current versions of procedures. With quality management software, all of that information is centralized, traceable, and available in real time.

What concrete advantages does digitization bring in the context of FSSC 22000?

  • Evidence always available: PRP records, allergen controls, HACCP verifications, and analytical results are accessible in a couple of clicks, with no need to dig through binders.
  • Automatic traceability: Every action is logged with date, time, and the responsible user, making it easier to demonstrate a systematic approach to management during the audit.
  • Non-conformity and corrective action management: You can track the status of every deviation in real time, something auditors particularly value.
  • Controlled document updates: Digital document management ensures the whole team always works from the current version of every procedure or instruction.
  • Food safety culture indicators: Digital tools let you log and analyze data on training, internal inspections, and communications, making it easier to evidence a strong quality culture.

At Solved, we work with food industry companies to keep their quality management system audit-ready year-round, not just in the days beforehand. FSSC 22000 certification is demanding, but with the right tools and processes, the effort is spread out over the year and the results are far more solid.

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