Food Safety Certification for Food Companies: ISO 22000, HACCP, and More
Food safety certification shows buyers, retailers, and regulators that your plant controls its hazards every day, not just on audit day. Accredify Global audits food processors, beverage makers, packaging suppliers, storage sites, and caterers. We check your hazard analysis, prerequisite programs, traceability, and records. You get a tailored proposal after a free scoping review.
What Food Safety Certification Covers for a Food Business
Food safety certification for a company is independent proof that its food safety system meets a recognized standard, such as ISO 22000 or HACCP. An accredited certification body audits the system on site. If it conforms, the body issues a certificate for the named sites, products, and processes.
This is different from a food handler or manager course, which certifies a person. Company certification looks at the whole operation: how you identify hazards, how you control them, and whether your records prove it happens on every shift.
Accredify Global is a UAF-accredited certification body under the IAF MLA framework, with ISO 22000 in its accreditation scope. Full standard details are on our ISO 22000 certification and HACCP certification pages. This page helps food companies pick the right route and shows how ISO certification for the food industry works.
Food Safety Certification in 2026: What Has Changed
ISO 22000:2018 is still the edition you certify to. A 2024 amendment added climate change to the issues you consider when setting the context of your system. ISO has started revising the standard, but until a new edition is published, auditors use the 2018 edition with its amendment.
Prerequisite program standards were updated. The ISO 22002 series was republished in 2025 as full International Standards, replacing the older technical specifications. FSSC 22000 Version 7 adopts them.
US traceability rules are coming. The FDA Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204) covers foods on the Food Traceability List. Congress has directed FDA not to enforce it before 20 July 2028. Strong traceability records under ISO 22000 put you in a better position for it.
Sources: ISO 22000:2018 (ISO) · FDA Food Traceability Rule
Who Needs Food Safety Certification?
Most projects start with a retailer, an export buyer, or a brand owner asking for a certificate before the next contract.
Meat, dairy, bakery, snacks, frozen, and ready-to-eat manufacturers supplying retail and food service.
Bottled water, juice, soft drink, and brewing sites where water quality and hygiene drive the risk.
Makers of food-contact packaging whose customers need proof of hygiene and migration controls.
Warehouses and transport firms keeping food at the right temperature. See our logistics industry page.
Central kitchens, caterers, and hotel kitchens. See our hospitality industry page.
Primary producers and exporters meeting import rules. See our agriculture industry page.
Which Food Safety Certification Do You Need?
Buyers use these names loosely. Check the exact wording of your customer's requirement before you choose.
| Standard or scheme | What it covers | When food companies need it | What Accredify Global provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| HACCP | Hazard analysis and critical control points | A common first step, and often required by local buyers and regulators | Certification |
| ISO 22000 | Full food safety management system, with HACCP inside | Export buyers, larger customers, and any business in the food chain | Accredited certification |
| FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF | GFSI-benchmarked food safety schemes | When a large retailer asks for a GFSI-recognized certificate | Not offered. Only bodies licensed by each scheme owner can certify them. |
| GMP | Good manufacturing practice | Plants that need their hygiene basics checked independently | GMP audit |
| ISO 9001 | Quality management | Consistent product quality and customer complaints handling | Certification |
| ISO 14001 | Environmental management | Waste water, packaging waste, and retailer sustainability scoring | Certification |
| ISO 50001 | Energy management | Energy-heavy sites such as cold stores, bakeries, and dairies | Accredited certification |
If your buyer names a GFSI scheme, we will tell you at scoping, before you commit to ISO 22000. ISO 22000 on its own is not GFSI-benchmarked.
What a Food Safety Auditor Checks on Site
These are the areas where food audits most often find gaps. Each maps to a clause of ISO 22000:2018.
| Area | ISO 22000 clause | What the auditor looks for |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite programs | 8.2 | Cleaning, pest control, maintenance, water, waste, and staff hygiene working on the floor |
| Traceability | 8.3 | One step back and one step forward, tested with a mock recall |
| Emergency response | 8.4 | Plans for power loss, water failure, and other events that affect food safety |
| Hazard analysis | 8.5.2 | Biological, chemical (including allergens), and physical hazards assessed for each step |
| Hazard control plan | 8.5.4 | CCP and OPRP limits, monitoring records, and action when limits are missed |
| Supplier control | 7.1.6 | Approved suppliers, specifications, and checks on outsourced processes |
| Verification | 8.8 | Testing, record review, and internal audits that prove the plan works |
| Withdrawal and recall | 8.9.5 | A tested process to pull unsafe product from the market quickly |
Auditors walk the plant during production. Records that match what they see on the floor matter more than long procedures.
The Food Safety Certification Process, Step by Step
Six stages from first call to a certificate that stays valid for three years. Our ISO certification process guide has more detail.
Not sure whether you need HACCP, ISO 22000, or a GFSI scheme? A free scoping review answers that first.
Book a free scoping reviewWhat Drives the Cost of Food Safety Certification
There is no list price. The cost follows the audit man-days your scope needs. A free scoping review gives you a tailored proposal.
What sets the audit man-days
- HACCP studies — the number of product and process studies
- People — staff across all shifts
- Sites — plants, warehouses, and off-site storage
- Food chain category — for example, farming, processing, or catering
- Standards — HACCP alone, ISO 22000, or several combined
Ways to keep audit time efficient
- Run a mock recall and an internal audit before Stage 1
- Keep CCP and OPRP monitoring records complete and signed
- Group similar products into one HACCP study where valid
- Combine standards in one integrated certification audit
- Schedule Stage 2 when your main lines are running
Questions to Ask a Food Safety Certification Body
Worth asking before you sign, with Accredify Global's answers.
| Question to ask | Accredify Global's answer |
|---|---|
| Are you accredited for ISO 22000? | Yes. ISO 22000 is in our UAF accreditation scope, under the IAF MLA framework. |
| Can you certify FSSC 22000, BRCGS, or SQF? | No. We tell you at scoping if your buyer needs one of these schemes. |
| Will you also write our HACCP plan? | No. A certification body must stay impartial, so we audit and certify but do not consult. See our impartiality commitments. |
| Do you audit during production? | Yes. Stage 2 is planned when your main lines are running. |
| How is it priced? | A tailored proposal based on audit man-days, after a free scoping review. |
| Can buyers verify the certificate? | Yes, on our certificate verification page. |
FAQ: Food Safety Certification for Companies
Straight answers on HACCP, ISO 22000, GFSI schemes, cost, and timelines.
What is food safety certification for a company?
It is independent proof that a food business runs a food safety system that meets a recognized standard, such as ISO 22000 or HACCP. A certification body audits the system on site and issues a certificate for the named sites, products, and processes. It is different from a food handler course, which certifies a person.
Which food safety certification should we get first?
Many small and mid-sized businesses start with HACCP certification. Businesses supplying larger or export buyers often go straight to ISO 22000, which includes HACCP inside a full management system. If a retailer asks for a GFSI-recognized scheme, you will need FSSC 22000, BRCGS, or SQF instead.
Is ISO 22000 recognized by GFSI?
Not on its own. FSSC 22000 is the GFSI-benchmarked scheme built on ISO 22000, with extra prerequisite program and scheme requirements. If your buyer names GFSI, check that requirement before choosing ISO 22000.
Is Accredify Global accredited for ISO 22000?
Yes. Accredify Global is a UAF-accredited certification body under the IAF MLA framework, with ISO 22000 in its accreditation scope. You can check our accreditation in the UAF directory.
Does food safety certification meet FDA FSMA requirements?
No certificate replaces FDA requirements. US food facilities must still meet FSMA rules, such as preventive controls, and FDA will not enforce the Food Traceability Rule before 20 July 2028. A certified system gives you records and controls that support those rules.
How much does food safety certification cost?
The cost depends on audit man-days. These are set by the number of HACCP studies, staff across shifts, sites, the food chain category, and the standards you combine. Accredify Global reviews your scope for free and sends a tailored proposal.
How long is a food safety certificate valid?
An accredited ISO 22000 certificate runs on a three-year cycle, with surveillance audits every year and a recertification audit before it expires.
Can Accredify Global write our HACCP plan or food safety manual?
No. As a certification body we must stay impartial, so we do not write your plans or build your system. We audit it, report findings with evidence, and make an independent certification decision.
Get a Food Safety Certificate Your Buyers Accept
Tell us about your products, sites, and the buyer asking for certification. We'll confirm the right standard, suggest audit dates, and send a tailored proposal.
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