Thousands of food industry businesses worldwide stand to benefit from a newly published document in the ISO 22000 series designed to prevent and control food safety hazards.

ISO technical specification ISO/TS 22002-1:2009, Prerequisite programmes on food safety - Part 1: Food manufacturing, sets out requirements for prerequisite programmes needed to bring safe products to market and provide food that is safe for human consumption.

It is intended to be used with, and to support, ISO 22000:2005, which gives requirements for a food safety management system.

Jacob Faergemand, chair of the sub-committee which is responsible for the ISO 22000 series, said: “As the introduction of food safety hazards can occur at the manufacturing stage of the food supply chain, a hygienic environment is essential. That is why this ISO technical specification is very useful to reduce the likelihood that products will be exposed to hazards, that they will be contaminated, and that hazards will proliferate.

"The new technical specification applies to all organisations involved in the manufacturing step of the food chain, regardless of size or complexity. It is not a requirement of ISO 22000 and may be used in parts or in its entirety, depending on the nature of food manufacturing operations. ISO 220002-1 is the first technical specification in a series planned for relevant food sector PRP. It is expected that other parts of the food chain will over time ask for specific PRP based on the same model. This proves that ISO has now established the structure to help and facilitate the future needs for the worldwide food industry.”