ISO 22000 Certification in Nepal: Food Safety Management System
Introduction
Food-related industries are one of the growing industries in Nepal. Among such hikes of growing concerns in the country, the aspect of food safety is an important issue to be considered. The food safety shall be assured with a view towards protection of the public health as well as assurance of consumer confidence within the supply chain. ISO 22000 has outlined structured approaches toward the establishment of an FSMS that is going to be helpful in bringing improvement in quality and safety.
This paper describes the process of ISO 22000 certification in Nepal, major requirements, benefits of the certifications, and the challenges faced by businesses while getting this certification.
ISO 22000 Certification: How to Understand It
ISO 22000 specifies the requirements for a Food Safety Management System that combines the HACCP principles, hazard analysis, and a risk-based strategy for food safety. It addresses all those businesses along the supply chain directly, including but not limited to:
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Food producing and processing firms
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Caterers and restaurants
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Food packaging and distribution companies
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Retailers and wholesalers
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Food storage and transportation services
Key Requirements of ISO 22000 Certification
Following are the demands or requirements that the organizations in Nepal have to fulfill for attaining ISO 22000.
1. Establishment of Food Safety Policy
The organization has to establish a food safety policy. While establishing such a policy it needs to maintain principles of ISO 22000 together with legislation in Nepal in regard to food safety.
2. Establishment of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
A hazard analysis shall be properly done to identify the food safety hazards and then find the critical control points.
3. Prerequisite Programs
The organizations shall make the pre-requisite programs as:
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Good Manufacturing Practices
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Hygiene and sanitation practices
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Equipment maintenance and cleaning
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Pest control and waste management planning
4. Risk Assessments and Actions Preventive
It allows for the timely identification of the risks so as to decide upon the preventive actions to be performed with a view to eradicating or at least reducing risks associated with food safety.
5. Documentation and Record Keeping
All the processes of food safety management must be documented, and due records shall be kept for audit and verification purposes.
6. Internal Auditing and Continual Improvement
The regular internal auditing assures the organization that it meets all the requirements of ISO 22000 and FSMS is at an apex level.
Steps Involved in ISO 22000 Certification in Nepal
The overall procedure for certification includes some important steps in principle:
Step 1: Gap Analysis
Gap analysis as per the present status regarding the food safety procedure, if required, so that your company comes in full compliance with the requirements laid down by ISO 22000.
Step 2: FSMS Implementation
Apply appropriate design and integration of a Food Safety Management System in conformance with the recommendation given by ISO 22000 standard.
Step 3: Employees Training and Creation of Awareness
The above would be implemented based on efficient knowledge of food safety basics, HACCP, and personnel hygiene.
Step 4: Internal Audits and Corrective Actions
Regular audits check the efficacy of FSMS and eliminate chances of any non-conformity before the final audit of certification.
Step 5: The Certification Audit Shall be Carried Out
An independent third-party Certification Bodies are conducting a two-step audit procedure:
Stage 1: Study the documents and preliminary evaluation for the feasibility of implementing the system.
Stage 2: On-site audit to establish whether the system meets the ISO 22000 requirements.
After that, ISO 22000 three-year certification will be issued for the business enterprise that requires the regular surveillance audits to maintain conformance.
Benefits of ISO 22000 Certification
ISO 22000 Certification provides several benefits to the food business entities of Nepal, and they are:
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Regulatory Compliance: Facilitates an organized path for an organization to remain in total compliance with various national and international food safety regulations.
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Increased Consumer Credibility: More credibility and belief would come from the consumers about their products in regard to safety.
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Market Development: This means, not only access to the home market, but also other international markets on account of global harmonization of standards on food safety.
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Operational Efficiency: This would lead to improved production processes, reduced risks, and least food wastage.
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Competitive Advantage: Sets business enterprises as reliable and responsible food suppliers.
ISO 22000 Implementation Challenges in Nepal
Irrespective of the above benefits, some of the challenges which face enterprises in its implementation and gaining ISO 22000 certification includes:
a. Lack of Awareness: Most SMEs are not very aware of the certification process.
b. High Implementation Cost: Certification, training, and audit costs can be a burden for small-scale businesses economically.
c. Lack of Infrastructure: Not every firm might own the resources and infrastructural facility required for FSMS implementation.
d. Resistance by Employees: The most cumbersome part is by the employees' side because the employees tend to resist accepting the new ways and food safety documentations.
Conclusion
The main attributes that might pursue food safety and regulatory requirements are ISO 22000 certifications, hence opening up avenues for greater market exposure of Nepalese food businesses. It shall be possible to attain and then maintain ISO 22000 certification with investment in training, sorting out implementation challenges, and a well-structured certification process for a business.
It follows that consumers' confidence will increase with high management of food safety and efficiency of operations brought in by embracing the ISO 22000 standards, thus guaranteeing success for such an industry in Nepal. Visit https://www.isocertificationinnepal.com/ to learn more about ISO.
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