TS ISO 15161

TS ISO 15161 is a guideline for applying ISO 9001:2000 in the food and drink industry. It supports organizations that are establishing or improving a quality management system by showing how general quality management practices can be considered alongside food-safety-oriented controls.

Where ISO 9001 application meets food safety practice

In general technical terms, ISO 9001 focuses on consistent process control, meeting customer requirements, and continual improvement of the management system. In food and drink operations, that quality-management approach must be understood together with the need to identify and control hazards that can affect product safety. HACCP is important here as a complementary method built around hazard analysis and the identification of critical control points for food safety.

The specific informational focus of this standard is the possible interaction between the ISO 9000 series and HACCP with respect to food-safety requirements. In other words, it helps organizations understand how a quality management system can be aligned with processes that directly affect food safety, rather than treating quality documentation and food-safety control as separate subjects.

What this document is, and is not

• A guidance document for organizations in the food and drink industry.
• Focused on how ISO 9001 requirements may be applied during QMS development and implementation.
• Provides information on possible interactions between ISO 9000 series standards and HACCP.
• Not a product standard or a standalone food-safety certification scheme.
• Helps organizations build a more integrated management approach in a sector-specific context.