The International Organization for Standardization (Organisation internationale de normalisation), widely known as ISO, is an international-standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on 23 February 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary industrial and commercial standards. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

While ISO defines itself as a non-governmental organization, its ability to set standards that often become law, either through treaties or national standards, makes it more powerful than most non-governmental organizations. In practice, ISO acts as a consortium with strong links to governments. ISO 22000 is a general derivative of ISO 9000. The ISO 22000 international standard specifies the requirements for a food safety management system that involves the following elements:
→ Interactive communication
→ System management
→ Prerequisite programmes
→ Principles

HACCP PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

DOCUMENTATION

MANAGEMENT RESPONIBILITY
→ Food Safety Policy
→ Regulatory Requirement
→ Communications
→ Emergency Preparedness
→ Review

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
→ Human
→ Infrastructure
→ Work Environment

PRODUCTION
→ Prerequisite Programmes
→ Hazard Analysis
→ Operational Prerequisites
→ HACCP Plan
→ Verification
→ Traceability
→ Control of nonconformity

VALIDATION, VERIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT

BENEFITS OF ISO 22000
→ In 148 countries worldwide - from farmers to food services, to processing, transportation, storage, retail and packaging - ISO22000 is already proving its worth.
→ ISO 22000 tackles key issues in the food supply chain, each contributing to an organisation’s ongoing business performance in relation to food safety management.
→ It is flexible and allows an organisation to develop a food safety management system tailored to its particular suppliers, customers and relevant parties.
→ It is flexible and allows an organisation to develop a food safety management system tailored to its particular suppliers, customers and relevant parties.
→ It is flexible and allows an organisation to develop a food safety management system tailored to its particular suppliers, customers and relevant parties.
→ It is flexible and allows an organisation to develop a food safety management system tailored to its particular suppliers, customers and relevant parties.

ISO 9001:2008 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - CONSULTING AND IMPLEMENTATION

ISO 9001:2008 is the standard that provides a set of standardized requirements for a quality management system. The ISO 9001:2008 standard provides a tried and tested framework for taking a systematic approach to managing the organization's processes so that they consistently turn out product that satisfies customers' expectations.

IMPLEMENTING ISO 9001:2008 BENEFITS THE FOLLOWING

→ The standard requires the organization itself to audit its ISO 9001:2008-based quality system to verify that it is managing its processes effectively - or to check that it is fully in control of its activities.
→ In addition, the organization may invite its clients to audit the quality system in order to give them confidence that the organization is capable of delivering products or services that will meet their requirements.
→ Lastly, the organization may engage the services of an independent quality system certification body to obtain an ISO 9001:2008 certificate of conformity. This last option has proved extremely popular in the market-place because of the perceived credibility of an independent assessment.
→ The organization may thus avoid multiple audits by its clients, or reduce the frequency or duration of client audits.The certificate can also serve as a business reference between the organization and potential clients, especially when supplier and client are new to each other, or far.

By performing inspections, Food companies are able to identify problems early with the goal of eliminating the causes. Utilized correctly, inspections save money by eliminating process problems and ensuring that the end product meets customers' requirements and expectations.

GHP's Consultants inspects the Food Processing facilities and processes prior to volume production. This verifies that product specifications are being met and avoids unnecessary reprocessing work later.

GHP's Consultants will visit the clients food premises and make on-site inspections to evaluate current compliance with legal requirements and samples of your products selected during the manufacturing process. This confirms the quality of your product and allows any necessary changes to be addressed early on, reducing rework costs and time.

IMPLEMENTING ISO 9001:2008 BENEFITS THE FOLLOWING

→ Food Facility Audits - Commercial Kitchen Audits → Supplier Quality Assurance Audits → Internal Compliance Audits (HACCP/ ISO) In order to evaluate your current Manufacturing facility, GHP's HACCP / ISO consultants will visit your premises on monthly basis to conduct a routine audit and raise a gap report concerning the following:

RECEIVING FACILITIES
→ Proper receiving arrangements
→ Loading and Unloading
→ Existing documentation
→ Updates related to current issues

STORAGE AND FOOD PROCESSING FACILITY
→ Floors, walls and ceilings
→ Lighting: intensity, bulbs and fixtures used
→ Temperature control
→ Drainage and sewage systems
→ Water quality
→ Required food safety signs
→ Existing documentation
→ Type of equipment and utensils
→ Updates related to current issues
CHANGING ROOM FACILITY
→ Washrooms for staff: water supply, air exchange.
→ Changing rooms for staff: surface and facilities.

CHEMICAL STORAGE AREA
→ Basic Safety principles

OTHER
→ Pest management
→ Surrounding area
→ Waste management
→ Staff training log

NEW FOOD PREMISES DESIGN AND STEP BY STEP GUIDANCE DURING CONSTRUCTION

GHP's HACCP / Food Safety consultants will visit your site and review the floor plan drawings and advise the necessary changes with the existing plan or making new plans concerning the following:

RELATED TO DESIGN, FACILITIES AND OPERATION
→ Building and facilities should be what kind of construction.
→ How the working space should be provided to allow for the satisfactory performance of all operations.
→ The design should permit what are the criteria.
→ How the building facilities to be designed to avoid cross contamination.
→ How the building and facilities designed to achieve hygienic operations and regulated flow in the process from the arrival of the raw material at the premises to the finished product.
→ Appropriate temperature conditions for the process and the product.
→ How the building and facilities should be designed to prevent entrance and harbouring of pests and the entry of environmental contaminations such as smoke, dust, sandstorm etc.
→ In the Food Warehouse or Food handling areas:
→ → What type of flooring should be?
→ → What type of wall should be?
→ → What type of ceiling should be?

→ Stairs, lifts, cages and auxiliary structure where should be situated and constructed as not cause contamination to Food.
→ How the Chutes should be constructed.
→ In Food handling areas how all overhead structures and fittings should be installed to avoid contamination directly or indirectly.
→ The use of material, which should not to be a source of contamination, which should be avoided unless its use would clearly not be a source of contamination.

RECEIVING FACILITIES
→ Proper receiving arrangements
→ Proper receiving platform
→ Sanitary conveniences

FOOD PROCESSING UNIT FACILITY
→ Materials used in Flooring, Walls & Ceilings
→ Selection of paint for the Wall and ceilings
→ Doors, Windows , Stairs & Platforms
→ Services (Gas Supplies , Electricity , Water Supplies, Lighting, Ventilation)
→ Sanitary conveniences
→ Water supplies
→ Storage of Hazardous Substances
→ Facilities for washing food and equipment
→ Lighting for food premises
→ Ventilation for food premises
→ Refuse storage

CHANGING ROOM FACILITY
→ Change Room Facility
→ Washroom
→ Wash basins
→ Lockers, Cloakrooms and Shoe Racks
→ Accommodation for clothing and personal belongings

REQUIREMENT FOR HYGIENIC PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING
→ Reception of raw material
→ Prevention of cross contamination
→ Processing
→ Packaging
→ Storage and transportation of end products
→ Sampling and testing arrangements
→ Handling of different types of product in different areas
→ Special provisions for different products (eg; pork and meat)

REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE FOOD STORAGE TEMPRATURE CONTROLS, CROSS CONTAMINATION AND TRANSPORTATION
→ How the food products to be protected from the risk of cross contamination
→ How the raw, semi processed (or) processed (or) chilled or frozen foods to be stored or handled or displayed
→ What degree temperature at which Certain Food in catering operations are to be stored.
→ Special Provision for Pork Meats and Pork Products
→ Provision of Thermometers for Refrigerated Storage
→ Storage of deep frozen foodstuff
→ Storage of chilled foods
→ Requirements related to date expired foodstuff
→ Transportation of foodstuff