What is FSSC and Why is it Important?

When you sit down in a restaurant as they place the plate in front of you, do you ever wonder “where did this food come from?” How do I know it is safe to enjoy?

When you walk into the fresh fruit and vegetables isle at the grocery store, do you ever wonder why some items are wrapped or packaged in containers and others are fully exposed?  As you place items in your shopping cart are you confident that your purchase is a safe choice?

One of the reasons you probably do not ask these questions (often subconsciously) is because of an accepted global initiative created to reduce risk from unsafe practices.

First, let’s take a historical look then answer a few questions.

Recent History of Food Safety

It might be easy to assume that rules and regulations have a long, storied history; however, it was only near the dawn of the 20th century that this subject began to emerge as a matter of significant concern. In 2000 food safety concerns were driven by several high-profile recalls, quarantines and negative publicity about the food industry. (Learn more about Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts | FDA.)  In fact, it was in Europe that the tide began to change. The European Parliament produced a food law, a regulation stating general principles and requirements related to food, identifying procedures in the matter of food safety. This law established the European Food Safety Authority.

This compelled European retailers to comply but there were no established standards. Retailers simply managed their own processes of rules or guidelines to meet the requirements of the law. Audits or inspections were in place, but with no existing standards or schemes, results from one company to the next were incompatible. This also created the potential for prejudicial inspection reporting which could harm well-meaning companies. This is when CEOs came together in to form the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF).

• 400 global member companies from 70 countries.
• One of the most significant initiatives of this group is the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)

GFSI is a private organization made up of CGF members working as a coalition with retailers, brand owners, farmers, manufacturers and others to create harmony through benchmarking standards to be adopted by all for the benefit of all worldwide, creating a food safety community.

Among other objectives to their purpose, the GFSI defines:

• food safety issues
• minimum requirements for food safety certification programs
• food safety auditor competence

Through benchmarking multiple certification programs recognized by GFSI entered the marketplace (causing unanticipated competition, varying fees for services and creating direct conflict in GFSI intent. Still, GFSI controls the minimum requirements in schemes, influencing certification activities & controls benchmarking requirements.)

Is it easy to earn certification?

Achieving FSSC 22000 certification requires a detailed evaluation of the company’s processes, risk management practices, and adherence to food safety protocols. The certification process includes comprehensive documentation reviews, on-site audits, and continuous improvement initiatives. Meticulous planning, cross-functional teamwork, and a long-standing dedication to continuous improvement is a prerequisite for any company to achieve the goal.

The Importance of FSSC 22000

Only the very young have no recollection of the year 2020 when we consciously washed our vegetables. And even sprayed our mail to sanitize it. How awful was that life change!  Indeed, we live with risk daily. A few precautions seem to make perfect sense.