FSSC 22000
Food Safety System Certification combining ISO 22000 with PRPs
FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification) is a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-recognized food safety certification scheme. It combines ISO 22000 (food safety management) with sector-specific PRPs (prerequisite programs) defined in ISO/TS 22002 series, plus additional FSSC requirements.
FSSC 22000 is widely accepted by global manufacturers (Nestle, Unilever, Mars, etc.) and is recognized as equivalent to BRCGS or IFS by GFSI. Currently at Version 6 (effective April 2024).
The standard covers food safety management, prerequisite programs, hazard analysis, operational PRPs, validation/verification, plus FSSC-specific additional requirements for food fraud, food defense, allergen management, environmental monitoring, and food safety culture.
For Egyptian food manufacturers supplying multinational buyers (especially food and beverage giants), FSSC 22000 is often the preferred certification. FoodGate Audit performs FSSC 22000 pre-audits and gap assessments. Common findings: food safety culture indicators, environmental monitoring program, formula management.
What this means for a buyer. FSSC publishes a public register of certified organisations, so you can confirm a supplier's certificate yourself, for free and without asking them. ISO 22000 has no equivalent central register: certificates are issued by many certification bodies and there is no single place to check one. When a supplier offers either, the one you can verify remotely is worth more to you than the one you have to take on trust. Verifying the certificate still tells you nothing about what happens on the production floor between audits, which is what an inspection is for.