Food Safety Standards: HACCP, ISO 22000, and Export Requirements

The Importance of Food Safety Standards

Food safety is a critical area that directly impacts human health, carries legal consequences, and determines trade relationships. In global food trade, compliance with food safety standards is the fundamental prerequisite for market access. Non-compliance can lead to border rejections, legal sanctions, brand value erosion, and severe financial losses.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 600 million people worldwide are affected by foodborne illnesses each year, and 420,000 people lose their lives. These figures clearly demonstrate how vital food safety systems are.

Food safety requires an integrated approach that covers the entire supply chain "from farm to fork." A weakness in a single link can compromise the safety of the entire chain.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

What Is HACCP?

HACCP is a systematic approach focused on preventing food safety hazards. It was developed in the 1960s for NASA's space food program and later adapted for the entire food industry. Today it is recognized as the cornerstone of food safety management worldwide.

7 Core Principles

Principle 1: Hazard Analysis Identification and assessment of potential hazards at every stage of the production process:

• Biological hazards: Bacteria (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli), viruses, parasites, mold
• Chemical hazards: Pesticide residues, heavy metals, allergens, additives
• Physical hazards: Metal fragments, glass, plastic, stones, bone

Principle 2: Identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs) Defining the points at which hazards can be brought under control. For example:

• Pasteurization temperature
• Metal detector passage
• Cooling temperature
• pH value control

Principle 3: Establishing Critical Limits Defining acceptable boundaries for each CCP:

• Minimum cooking temperature: 72°C (for meat products)
• Cold storage: 0–4°C
• pH limit: Product-specific values
• Water activity (aw): <0.6 for dry foods

Principle 4: Establishing Monitoring Procedures Continuous or periodic monitoring of CCPs:

• Temperature recording devices
• pH meter measurements
• Visual inspections
• Laboratory analyses

Principle 5: Establishing Corrective Actions Procedures to follow when a critical limit is exceeded:

• Quarantining the product
• Stopping the production line
• Evaluating the affected batch
• Root cause analysis and correction

Principle 6: Verification Procedures Verifying that the HACCP system is functioning effectively:

• Internal audits
• Laboratory testing
• Review of CCP records
• System updates

Principle 7: Record Keeping and Documentation Complete documentation of all processes:

• Hazard analysis documents
• CCP monitoring records
• Corrective action records
• Verification reports
• Training records

HACCP Implementation Timeline

1. Formation of the HACCP team (2–4 weeks)
2. Product description and intended use (1 week)
3. Flow diagram preparation (1–2 weeks)
4. On-site verification of the flow diagram (1 week)
5. Hazard analysis (Principle 1) (2–4 weeks)
6. CCP determination (Principle 2) (1–2 weeks)
7. Establishing critical limits, monitoring, and corrective actions (Principles 3–5) (2–3 weeks)
8. Verification and record system (Principles 6–7) (2–3 weeks)
9. Establishing prerequisite programs (4–8 weeks)
10. Training and implementation (ongoing)

ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System

What Is It?

ISO 22000 is an international food safety management system standard designed for all organizations in the food supply chain. It combines HACCP principles with the ISO 9001 management system framework.

ISO 22000 Structure

The ISO 22000:2018 version consists of 10 clauses, aligned with ISO's Annex SL structure:

1. Scope
2. Normative references
3. Terms and definitions
4. Context of the organization: Determining internal and external issues
5. Leadership: Top management responsibilities, food safety policy
6. Planning: Assessment of risks and opportunities
7. Support: Resources, competence, communication, documentation
8. Operation: Prerequisite programs, HACCP plan, traceability
9. Performance evaluation: Monitoring, measurement, analysis, internal audit
10. Improvement: Nonconformity, corrective action, continual improvement

ISO 22000 vs HACCP

Certification Process

1. Preliminary assessment: Current system analysis (Stage 1 audit)
2. Implementation audit: Evaluation of system effectiveness (Stage 2 audit)
3. Certificate issuance: Upon confirmation of conformity
4. Surveillance audits: Annual follow-up audits
5. Recertification: Full audit every 3 years

Cost

• Consulting and preparation: EUR 5,000–15,000
• Certification audit: EUR 3,000–8,000
• Annual surveillance audit: EUR 2,000–4,000
• 3-year recertification audit: EUR 3,000–6,000

BRC Global Standard for Food Safety

What Is It?

BRC (British Retail Consortium) is a food safety standard developed by the UK retail sector and accepted on a global scale. It is virtually mandatory for exports to the UK market.

BRC Issue 9 (2022) Core Requirements

1. Senior Management Commitment

• Food safety culture
• Management review
• Organizational structure

2. HACCP Plan

• HACCP in accordance with Codex Alimentarius principles
• Flow diagrams and CCP identification

3. Food Safety and Quality Management System

• Documentation
• Specification management
• Internal audit program
• Supplier management
• Corrective actions

4. Site Standards

• Building design and maintenance
• Site layout
• Pest control
• Equipment maintenance
• Personnel facilities

5. Product Control

• Product design/development
• Allergen management
• Provenance and traceability
• Packaging control

6. Process Control

• Operations control
• Labeling and packaging control
• Quantity control
• Metal detection

7. Personnel

• Hygiene rules
• Training and competence
• Health screening
• Protective clothing

BRC Grading

IFS Food

What Is It?

IFS (International Featured Standards) Food is a food safety standard developed by the German and French retail sectors. It is important for exports to the German and French markets.

Core Requirements

1. Senior management responsibility
2. Quality and food safety management system
3. Resource management
4. Planning and production process
5. Measurement, analysis, and improvement
6. Food Defense plan

Scoring System

• A: Full compliance (20 points)
• B: Near-full compliance (15 points)
• C: Minor non-conformity (5 points)
• D: Non-conformity (general: -15 points; for KO requirements: no certificate issued)

For certification: A minimum of 75% of the total score is required. A score of D on KO (Knock-Out) requirements disqualifies certification.

FSSC 22000

What Is It?

FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification) is a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) benchmarked scheme that strengthens the ISO 22000 standard with technical specifications (ISO/TS 22002 series).

FSSC 22000 = ISO 22000 + ISO/TS 22002 + Additional Requirements

ISO/TS 22002 series:

• ISO/TS 22002-1: Food manufacturing
• ISO/TS 22002-2: Catering
• ISO/TS 22002-3: Farming
• ISO/TS 22002-4: Packaging manufacturing
• ISO/TS 22002-6: Feed production

GFSI Recognition Advantage

FSSC 22000, like BRC and IFS, is recognized by GFSI. GFSI recognition is accepted as a supplier approval criterion by many major retail chains and food companies. This allows a single certification to meet the requirements of multiple customers.

Country-Specific Requirements

European Union

The EU has the strictest food safety regulations in the world.

Key regulations:

• EC 178/2002: General Food Law (traceability mandatory)
• EC 852/2004: General food hygiene rules (HACCP mandatory)
• EC 853/2004: Specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin
• EC 1935/2004: Materials in contact with food
• EC 1169/2011: Food information to consumers (labeling)

Pesticide residue limits (MRL):

• The EU applies the world's lowest MRL values
• Specific limits set by EC 396/2005
• Default MRL: 0.01 mg/kg (for pesticides without specific limits)

Contaminant limits:

• Mycotoxins (aflatoxin, ochratoxin, etc.)
• Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury)
• Dioxins and PCBs
• PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)

When exporting food from Turkey to the EU, RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) notifications should be closely monitored. A product appearing in RASFF can lead to tightened border controls for the entire sector.

United States

FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations:

• FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act): The foundational law of the US food safety system
• FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Program): Importers' obligation to verify suppliers
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual): Requirement for trained personnel at every facility
• FDA facility registration: All facilities exporting food to the US must register with the FDA

USDA (Department of Agriculture):

• Inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products
• Organic certification (USDA Organic)
• Phytosanitary requirements

Middle East

General requirements:

• Halal certification (mandatory in most countries)
• Arabic labeling
• GSO (Gulf Standardization Organization) standards
• Shelf life requirements (minimum 75% remaining shelf life at the time of import)

Saudi Arabia (SFDA):

• SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) registration
• SABER certification system
• Certificate of Conformity (CoC)

Russia and CIS

• EAC (Eurasian Conformity) certificate
• TR CU (Technical Regulations of the Customs Union) compliance
• Customs Union food safety regulations
• Russian-language labeling requirement

Food Safety Standards Comparison

Recommendations for Turkish Food Exporters

Key Steps

1. Define your target market: Which countries will you export to?
2. Research market requirements: Which certifications are mandatory?
3. Start with HACCP: It forms the foundation of all systems
4. Upgrade to ISO 22000: Gain management system infrastructure
5. Obtain market-specific certifications: BRC, IFS, FSSC 22000
6. Build laboratory capacity: In-house testing capabilities

Critical Success Factors

• Top management commitment: Food safety culture must start with leadership
• Training: Regular training for all employees
• Investment: Infrastructure and equipment investments
• Continual improvement: Keeping the system active and current
• Supplier management: Control of raw material quality

Conclusion

Food safety standards are both a requirement and a source of competitive advantage for Turkish food exporters. From HACCP to ISO 22000, from BRC to IFS, each standard strengthens a different dimension of the food safety system.

Correctly analyzing the requirements of the target market, obtaining the appropriate certifications in a timely manner, and embedding a food safety culture throughout the organization are the fundamental prerequisites for successful exports. While food safety investment may appear as a cost in the short term, it delivers critical returns in market access, customer trust, and brand value over the long term.