ISO 22000: How to Write a Food Safety Policy?

Food Safety Policy

Food safety policy is the most important feature in ISO 22000 food safety management systems, virtually it set the scope in to action and it is the first document any auditor initially looked at. The intent of a food safety policy is to state the organization’s commitment to food safety and continuous improvement in preventive performance throughout the food chain while applying ISO 22000 FSMS. A strong, clear food safety policy can serve as both a starting point for developing a very good ISO 22000 food safety management system (FSMS) and a reference point for maintaining continuous improvement. The policy should be evaluated regularly and modified, as necessary, to reflect changing food safety priorities. The policy should function in two ways: (1) within the company, the policy should focus attention on food safety issues associated with company activities, products, and services; and (2) outside the company. The food safety policy is a public commitment to addressing food safety issues and continuously improving food safety assurance. According to the ISO 22000 FSMS standard; the food safety policy must address:

1. Define, document and communicate food safety policy (FS)
2. Ensure to include Organization’s appropriate role in the food chain (What are you doing?)
3. Conformity to the applicable regulatory and statutory requirements including mutually agreed customer FS requirements
4. Communicate, maintain and implement at all levels of organization
5. Review for continued suitability (ISO 22000: Clause - 5.8)      
6. Review for adequate communication (ISO 22000: Clause - 5.6)
7. Include measurable objectives

Tips for Developing a Food Safety Policy

1. Develop a policy development team that reflects perspectives of various employees within the company (for example, line worker, owner, waste water treatment operator, quality inspector, compliance/legal manager, production manager).
2. Display the policy statement in view of all employees; the policy should be available to the public and customers if requested and be printed in languages other than English, as appropriate.
3. Include top management signatures on the policy to demonstrate understanding and commitment. 

This procedure is used to develop and write the company’s food safety policy.

Step I

The food safety team leader will form a policy development team responsible for developing and writing the food safety policy. The policy will address, at a minimum, compliance, food safety and continuous improvement.

Step II

The policy development team will review other relevant documents to ensure consistency with other company policies and guide the content and phrasing of the policy. Example documents include the company mission statement that links to the food safety elements.

Step III

The policy will be displayed in view of all employees and introduced to new employees; the policy will be available in languages other than English, as appropriate, and to the public (on request) and customers (as appropriate).

Step IV

The food safety team leader will review the food safety policy at least annually, and update it if needed.

Example Food Safety Policy

XYZ Tea factory ISO 22000 FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM  Orthodox Black Tea Manufacture     Food safety policy We will make sure to provide our customers hygienically safe black tea and added value in their teacup. We will ensure to provide pure orthodox black tea made at our factory is free from physical, chemical and microbiological hazards which are conforming to the relevant statutory and regulatory requirements. We will train and motivate our employees continuously to upgrade and maintain ISO 22000 FSMS effectively.