ISO 22000:2018 is the internationally recognised standard for Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS). It combines the established principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) with system management, interactive communication, and prerequisite programs (PRPs). Whether you run a primary agricultural production unit, a food processing factory, a packaging facility, a cold storage network, or a restaurant chain, ISO 22000:2018 compliance demonstrates a serious commitment to risk mitigation, consumer protection, and statutory compliance across the food supply chain.
LegalDev's certified lead auditors and legal advisory team handle the complete accreditation process for Indian Food Business Operators (FBOs) — gap assessment, FSMS documentation, employee hygiene training, and audit preparation — aligned with FSSAI Registration & Compliance Standards and international export criteria.
ISO 22000:2018 is a management-system standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization that sets out the requirements for an effective Food Safety Management System. It applies to every link in the "farm-to-fork" chain — production, processing, packaging, storage, transport, and retail — and requires organisations to identify, control, and continually review food safety hazards rather than address them only after the fact.
Because the standard shares the High-Level Structure (HLS) common to all modern ISO standards, it integrates easily with other systems such as ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management, and pairs naturally with standalone HACCP Certification.
Content reviewed by CA Rohit Sharma, Senior Regulatory Lead & Compliance Auditor, Fellow Member of ICAI, with 10+ years of experience in corporate audits and quality standard verification.
Food safety is a shared responsibility across the entire farm-to-fork supply chain. ISO 22000:2018 is designed to scale for micro-enterprises, agricultural startups, and multinational food corporations alike. Any organisation that directly or indirectly interacts with food products should implement an FSMS to safeguard public health and meet regulatory expectations.
Organisations that also want to manage environmental impact or workplace safety can pair ISO 22000 with ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management and standalone HACCP Certification.
To avoid delays during external audits, documentation should be organised into legal corporate identity papers and technical food-safety operational logs.
ISO 22000:2018 is the internationally recognised management standard for food safety. It gives a structured framework to control hazards, meet statutory safety requirements, reduce waste, and expand into premium domestic and international retail markets.
HACCP is a risk-assessment technique focused specifically on identifying critical control points during food handling. ISO 22000 folds all HACCP principles into a broader management framework that adds leadership commitment, resource planning, and continuous improvement.
No. ISO 22000 is a voluntary international quality standard, while FSSAI Registration or License is a mandatory legal requirement under Indian law. Holding ISO 22000, however, makes FSSAI audits smoother and satisfies vendor onboarding conditions for major supermarkets.
The certificate is valid for 3 years from the date of issue, provided the organisation passes mandatory surveillance audits at the 12th month and the 24th month.
For most small to medium enterprises with complete operational documentation ready, the full process takes 10 to 15 business days.
Stage 1 is a desk audit where the external auditor reviews FSMS documentation and procedures. Stage 2 is a detailed physical audit on the premises to verify staff are actively following the documented procedures.
Yes. The standard is flexible and scales to any business size, from a single cloud kitchen to a large automated bottling facility.
Consultancy, document preparation, and audit facilitation fees at LegalDev start at ₹9,999 + GST. Independent Certification Body audit fees vary with employee count, facility size, and operational risk category.
Yes. ISO 22000:2018 shares the High-Level Structure (HLS) common to modern ISO standards, so it integrates smoothly with ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Systems.
A non-conformity is raised when an auditor finds an area that doesn't meet ISO guidelines. Major or minor NCs are resolved through a documented Corrective Action Plan (CAP) within a set timeframe before final certification is issued.
Getting ISO 22000:2018 certified means coordinating internal documentation, employee training, and an external Certification Body audit — and a single weak link, an incomplete PRP log or an unresolved non-conformity, can hold up the whole timeline. LegalDev manages the process end to end:
If your business also needs baseline regulatory clearance, we handle FSSAI Registration, standalone HACCP Certification, and can advise on layering ISO 9001:2015 or ISO 14001:2015 into an integrated management system.