PAS 220, CORE REQUIREMENTS

PAS 220 is made up of the core requirements specified in ISO 22000 under sub clause 7.2.3, but with the additional requirements that have been considered important and relevant to the food manufacturing process. A brief summary is given below

1. The scope - applicable to all food manufacturing organizations.
2. Normative reference identifies the reference materials.
3. 19 terms and definitions to compliment the 82 in ISO 9001 and 17 in ISO 22000
4. The construction and layout of buildings for contamination control and prevention.
5. The layout of premises and workspace
6. Utilities - air, water, energy covering water quality, approved chemicals, ventilation etc.
7. Waste disposal - containers for waste or hazardous substances, waste management, drains and drainage.
8. Equipment suitability, cleaning and maintenance specifies that equipment should be made of material inert to the food being processed.
9. The management of purchased materials covers the selection of suppliers and the handling of received goods.
10. Physical, microbiological and allergen contamination is covered in the section dealing with measures for prevention of cross contamination.
11. Cleaning and sanitizing
12. Pest Control including pest control programs, preventing access, harbourage and infestations, monitoring and detection, and eradication.
13. Personnel hygiene and employee facilities - locker facilities, toilets, staff canteens and designated areas. It also addresses work wear, protective clothing, health status, illness and injury, employee cleanliness and behavior in a processing and warehousing environment.
14. Rework is an integral part of the process with regard to traceability and allergen control. Repackage is also considered as rework material.
15. Product recall procedures include the requirement for a key contact list and traceability of product produced under similar conditions as the recall product.
16. Warehousing - cleanliness, dryness, ventilation, dust and temperature control, separate areas for storage of chemicals, and designated areas for non-conforming materials. Warehouse practices such as FIFO/FEFO, vehicle upkeep and maintenance.
17. Product information/consumer awareness - how information is presented to the consumer to facilitate informed decisions.
18. Food defense, biovigilance and bioterrorism - protective measures to guard against acts of terrorism, tampering, sabotage and access control.

 

ISO 22000 and Impact of PAS 220

The Foundation for Food Safety Certification (SCV) announced in December 2008 that it will develop the ISO 22000 and PAS 220 certification scheme for food safety systems of food manufacturers. This development is supported by the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the
European Union (CIAA) and the scheme will be submitted to the GFSI to be benchmarked and approved.

Commenting on the initiative, Geoff Thompson, Chair of the CIAA Food and Consumer Policy Committee, said: "The ISO 22000/PAS 220 scheme marks a very significant step forward for all Food Processors. Both large and small manufacturers and retailers now have the opportunity to unite under a commonly agreed set of prerequisite programs for the international control of food safety hazards."

LRQA's Cor Groenveld, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Food Safety Certification added: “The objectives of our foundation are to facilitate a certification scheme that ensures high quality food safety audits in the whole food supply chain and to achieve harmonization in food safety standards and audits. Due to the fact that the combination of ISO 22000 and the PAS 220 is very similar to our GFSI HACCP approved standard we believe it is a logical next step to facilitate this harmonized scheme for Food Processors.”

The development of a harmonized scheme through ISO 22000 and PAS 220 will deliver substantial benefits to consumers and every member of the supply chain from plough to plate. The prime advantages that can be expected include:

1. Reduced risks
2. Improved food safety
3. Improved processes
4. Reduced costs from waste reduction
5. Better use of time and resources
6. Less product failures and better traceability throughout the supply chain (embodies and maintains the Codex Alimentarius HACCP)
7. As an international standard, ISO 22000 with PAS 220 can be used globally to benchmark organisations and to benchmark different facilities within international companies. This will help to improve performance internationally
8. Seamless integration with other standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
9. Creates a culture of continuous improvement