FSSC 22000 version 5.1 Additional Requirement

Can anyone explain if the additional requirement on FSSC 22000 version 5.1 under Management of Services and Purchased Materials (d) review of product specifications refer to our product or product supplied by supplier? Thank you!

Hi manalo_jose,

I agree it is somewhat confusing but clearly applies to purchased materials. See details below:

The requirements are from FSSC 22000 Certification Scheme for food safety management systems Version 5.1

Part 2 | Requirements for organizations to be audited

2.5 FSSC 22000 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

2.5.1 Management of Services and Purchased Materials

d) For food chain categories C, D, I, G and K, the following additional requirement applies to ISO/TS 22002-1 clause 9.2; ISO/TS 22002-4 clause 4.6 and ISO/TS 22002-5 clause 4:

The organization shall establish, implement, and maintain a review process for product specifications to ensure continued compliance with food safety, legal and customer requirements.

If you look at ISO/TS 22002-1 clause 9.2: TECHNICAL ISO/TS SPECIFICATION 22002-1 Prerequisite programmes on food safety —

Part 1: Food manufacturing

Section 9 is Management of purchased materials

9.2 Selection and management of suppliers

There shall be a defined process for the selection, approval and monitoring of suppliers. The process used shall be justified by hazard assessment, including the potential risk to the final product, and shall include: …. etc.

So this additional requirement to establish, implement, and maintain a review process for product specifications applies to purchased materials from suppliers.

Finished product specifications clearly should be reviewed regularly as well, say annually or when there are changes. For me, this would fall in with FSMS Updating as per International ISO Standard 22000: 2018 Food safety management systems - Requirements for any organization in the food chain Section 10.3 Update of the food safety management system:

Top management shall ensure that the FSMS is continually updated. To achieve this, the food safety team shall evaluate the FSMS at planned intervals. The team shall consider whether it is necessary to review the hazard analysis (see 8.5.2), the established hazard control plan (see 8.5.4) and the established PRPs (see 8.2). The updating activities shall be based on:

a) input from communication, external as well as internal (see 7.4);

b) input from other information concerning the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness

c) output from the analysis of verification activities

d) output from management review (see 9.3).

System updating activities shall be retained as documented information and reported as input to the management review (see 9.3)

Kind regards,

Tony