TSE ISO/TS 22003

TSE ISO/TS 22003 is a technical specification that sets requirements for bodies that audit and certify food safety management systems. Its focus is the set of rules governing how certification is carried out when a system is assessed against ISO 22000 or other defined food safety management system requirements. In other words, it is not a food business standard in itself, but a framework for the reliability of certification activities.

Common rules for certification bodies

Certification of a food safety management system depends on an independent assessment of whether an organization meets defined requirements for hazard control, traceability, operational discipline and overall system integrity. For bodies performing audits and certification in this field, competence of the audit team, consistency of evaluation and correct definition of the certified scope are critical. This technical specification addresses the rules applied to those certification activities.

What the scope means in practice

• Applies to food safety management systems based on ISO 22000 and other specified FSMS requirements.
• Deals with the rules governing the audit process used to reach a certification decision.
• Aims to provide customers with confidence in the way their suppliers have been certified.
• Supports consistency and traceability in how certification bodies assess and certify FSMSs.

In general technical terms, a food safety management system is designed to control hazards in the food chain and manage processes in a systematic way. Audit and certification add the external verification layer: the organization’s system is reviewed by an independent and competent body rather than accepted on self-declaration alone. TSE ISO/TS 22003 addresses the institutional requirements for framing that external verification, which is why it is especially relevant to certification bodies, audit programmes and conformity assessment processes.