Understanding and Documenting FSSC 22000

ISO 22000, FSSCI, and SQF Food 2000 Code

Food Scares in 2008 and 2009 and the Emergence and Importance of Food Safety Standards

In 2008, melamine - a chemical used for plastics - was discovered in the wheat gluten used for pet products. "Once melamine showed up in pet food supplies," says NYU professor Marion Nestle, "it was likely that it would appear in animal feed and eventually human food." (New York Times, Nov. 04, 2008) . Then in January of 2009, a plant producing peanut butter in Florida was found to be selling peanut butter contaminated with salmonella. Five people died and 400 persons were sickened before a product recall was ordered. Both of these public incidents drew attention to the poor state of Food Quality.

The US Food Industry has been highly sensitive to these criticisms and has been trying to self-regulate. Increasingly, the food industry is implementing Food Safety Management Systems based on HACCP and Prerequisite programs.

ISO 22000 would be one of the Food Safety Management Systems an organization interested in Food Safety may want to look into as well as the SQF Food Code 2000.