A lot of people have either heard or read about the ISO 22000, but many of them also wonder who needs to use it. The truth is that any organization that deals with food or the food chain can benefit from using it. The complexity or size of the organization doesn’t matte, small or large it can be helped with the ISO 22000.

Even though most people think of animals when it comes to the term food chain, it also refers to operations and stages that involve creating and consuming food. It covers every single step from the first production to when it’s eaten. These steps are production, the processing, distributing, storage, and at last handling of the foods and ingredients.

Even organizations that don’t deal with the food directly are a part of the food chain for the ISO 22000. These organizations are ones that are making food for animals that will produce food and also animals that may become food themselves. It’s also including businesses that make materials that are going to come into ingredients for food or food itself.

There are many assorted organizations that will be able to use ISO 22000.

Primary producers: farms, dairies, ranches, and fisheries
Processors: meat processors, poultry processors, feed processors, and fish processors
Manufacturers: soup manufacturer, snack manufacturer, bread manufacturer, canned food manufacturer, cereal manufacturer, seasoning manufacturer, canned good manufacturer, frozen food manufacturer, dressing manufacturer, beverage manufacturer,
Providers of food services: nursing homes, grocery stores, cafeterias, hotels, hospitals, resorts, airlines, seniors lodges, and cruise ships,
Other providers of services: storage service, catering service, logistics service, transportation services, distribution service, sanitation service, cleaning service
Suppliers of Products: Tools, utensils, equipment, additives, ingredients, raw materials, cleaning agents, sanitizing agents, packaging materials, other things that comes into contact with food

Don’t forget, this list doesn’t include all of the organizations that are going to be able to use ISO 22000. There are other organizations who are not on the list and are going to be able to make use of it. A company or organization that comes into contact with food is going to be able to use ISO 22000.

There are a few advantages of using the ISO 22000.

It lets the businesses that are a part of the well known food chain to prove their food safety commitment.

Better communication externally and internally.

Showing that you have control over the food hazards that you know about.

The FSMS of the organization is improving all the time.

Being able to use the certification mark of the NSF, something that is known internationally.

It’s not hard to see why people love using the ISO 22000. It offers an organization a lot of useful tools. A lot of organizations attribute their success to using the ISO 22000. It’s a very useful tool.