BSI has announced the release of seven international standards, including two recently published ISO standards and five completely revised ones, with the goal of modernising and harmonising Prerequisite Programmes (PRPs) under ISO 22000, the international benchmark for food safety management systems. This is a significant development for food safety throughout the global supply chain.
Between 2019–20 and 2023–2024, an average of 2,133 food safety incidents were reported annually in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, according to government data. More recently, England has seen an increase in the number of cases of Salmonella and Campylobacter illnesses. Standards are essential for anticipating and averting such situations.
This update represents the most comprehensive revision of the ISO 22002 series to date, now comprising:
- Five upgraded standards for sectors including food manufacturing, catering, food packaging, transport & storage, and feed & animal food production
- A new standard for retail and wholesale (ISO 22002-7) – closing a key gap in the food value chain
- The introduction of ISO 22002-100, a new Management System Standard, offering foundational, cross-sector PRP requirements for food, feed, and packaging organisations
ISO 22002 Part 100 is a Type A management systems standard that is fully certifiable, providing a comprehensive and auditable set of requirements for organisations. Unlike guidelines or technical specifications, it offers a complete framework for third-party certification, enabling organisations to undergo independent audits and demonstrate verified compliance.
Together, these standards establish a modular, scalable framework that promotes consistency, enhances audit preparedness, and allows for tailored application across sectors. Implementation will now be more straightforward, with clearer criteria that simplify both internal audits and external assessments. The new series aims to equip organisations for long-term success, enabling them to meet the demands of an industry, which is constantly evolving.
Angela Cunningham, BSI’s principle expert to ISO/TC 34/SC 17/WG 11 Prerequisite programmes on food safety notes that the focus on standardisation of the core PRPs ensures that all business sectors are laying their foundations of their food safety management system from the same set of requirements.
“This will benefit the food safety and quality landscape immensely, particularly if the business needs two or more sector specifics to be part of their PRPs,” Cunningham says. “When strong, PRPs will underpin the business and lay the path for a secure food or service operation.”
