HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS: what each one actually certifies.
They are facility certifications — they cover a site, not a lot. Scope and expiry are what you track.
In short. What each food-safety certification covers, how they relate, which one buyers in Japan, Singapore, the EU and the US expect, and how to track scope and expiry across suppliers.
| Certification | What it is | Covers | Recognised by |
|---|---|---|---|
| HACCP | Hazard analysis and critical control points — a system, often certified by a local body | A facility's process for one or more product lines | Baseline almost everywhere; legally required in many markets |
| ISO 22000 | International food-safety management standard built on HACCP | A facility's management system | Global; common in Asia |
| FSSC 22000 | ISO 22000 + sector prerequisite programmes + additional requirements | A facility; GFSI-benchmarked | Retailers and manufacturers worldwide |
| BRCGS Food Safety | British Retail Consortium global standard | A facility; GFSI-benchmarked; graded | UK/EU retailers, many multinationals |
| FDA facility registration | Registration, not certification, for facilities exporting food to the US | A facility, renewed biennially | US import |
| Export food establishment registration (China) | Registration with Chinese customs | A facility exporting food from China | Required for export from China |
Scope, not just existence
A certificate lists the site and the product categories it covers. A supplier's FSSC 22000 for its spice-grinding plant does not cover a starch line at another site. When a buyer's product page says “requires FSSC 22000 or BRCGS”, the check is whether the certificate's scope includes this product from this site — and whether it is valid on the day the goods arrive.
Expiry before ETA
Certificates expire, usually annually or every three years, and renewals slip. The failure mode is a certificate that lapses between the PO and the arrival, discovered at receipt by QA. The fix is calendar arithmetic: warn at 90, 60 and 30 days before expiry, and flag any order whose ETA falls after the expiry.
Pacifica stores each certificate with its scope (facility or product), issuer, number, expiry and file; reads the scope from the PDF; sets requirements per product; reminds the supplier at 90/60/30 days; and shows on every order one line — “Certifications 2/2 valid” or “HACCP expires 30 Nov, before ETA”.
Questions
Is ISO 22000 the same as HACCP?
No. HACCP is a hazard-control system; ISO 22000 is a management-system standard that incorporates HACCP principles. FSSC 22000 adds sector prerequisites and is GFSI-recognised.
Do I need FSSC 22000 or BRCGS from a supplier?
It depends on your customers and market. Many retailers and multinationals require a GFSI-benchmarked scheme (FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF, IFS); many manufacturers accept ISO 22000 or HACCP for lower-risk ingredients.
How often do these certificates expire?
HACCP and ISO 22000 certificates are typically valid three years with annual surveillance; FSSC and BRCGS are audited annually. Registrations (FDA) renew on their own cycle.
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