ISO 22000: THE GENERAL PREREQUISITE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OF ISO 22000

ISO 22000 Prerequisite Programs Requirements - Part I

You already understand what an ISO 22000 Gap Analysis is expected and the basic requirements to comply with basic infrastructure requirements which is the prime focus of implementing prerequisite programs (PRP). Thus here I’m trying to give you another set of small posts on most common PRPs that must be included in your plant as you start the implementation of ISO 22000 FSMS. The guidelines will give you the outline of critical requirements to the food safety as well as the successful implementation and maintaining of ISO 22000 FSMS. Read the all posts before you start to develop PRPs which will give you a better focus on the subject where you can develop better PRPs.  

The prerequisite program requirements below (recommended by Codex Alimentarius) are generic which basically designed to cater ISO 22000 food safety management system/HACCP systems. Thus your establishment will need to ensure that the criteria in these programs (including regulatory requirements) are being met within the plant environment as requested by the ISO 22000 standard.

However, when you are implementing an ISO 22000 FSMS, initially don’t plan to have all these PRPs in your system, first design and implement mandatory PRPs initially to observe their performance as a dummy. When you complete the hazard analysis, validate all the PRPs before implementation. In this stage you will realize the real additional needs or modifications to the prepared PRPs, where you can decide exact number and the control measures according to ISO 22000 FSMS.  

Each prerequisite program is structured according to the following example:

A Program (e.g. Premises)

A 1 Element (e.g. Building Exterior)

A 1.1 Sub-element (e.g. Outside Property and Building)

A 1.1.1 Bullet (e.g. Building facility not located close to any environmental contaminants and the surroundings/ roadways are free of debris and refuse, adequately drained and maintained to minimize environmental hazards)

Conduct your final assessment at the sub-element level for each prerequisite program.

The six prerequisite programs include the following:

A  Premises

A 1 Building Exterior

A 1.1 Outside Property and Building

A 2 Building Interior

A 2.1 Design, Construction and Maintenance

A 2.2 Lighting

A 2.3 Ventilation

A 2.4 Waste Disposal

A 2.5 Inedible Areas

A 3 Sanitary Facilities

A 3.1 Employee Facilities

A 3.2 Equipment Cleaning and Sanitizing Facilities

A 4 Water/Ice/Steam Quality and Supply

A 4.1 Water/Ice/Steam

B Transportation, Receiving and Storage

B 1 Transportation

B 1.1 Food Carriers

B 1.2 Temperature Control

B 2 Receiving and Storage

B 2.1 Incoming Material Receiving and Storage

B 2.2 Non-Food Chemical Receiving and Storage

B 2.3 Finished Product Storage

C Equipment

C 1 General Equipment

C 1.1 Equipment Design and Installation

C 1.2 Equipment Maintenance and Calibration

D Personnel

D 1 Training

D 1.1 General Food Hygiene Training

D 1.2 Technical Training

D 2 Hygiene and Health Requirements

D 2.1 Cleanliness and Conduct

D 2.2 Communicable Diseases and Injuries

E Sanitation and Pest Control

E 1 Sanitation

E 1.1 Sanitation Program

E 2 Pest Control

E 2.1 Pest Control Program