What is a food safety management system?
Food safety has been recognised as an issue since ancient times, and on a global scale, it dates back to the development of the Codex Alimentarius over 60 years ago. Despite this, food safety issues remain widespread: accounting for an estimated 420,000 deaths globally each year, with one in ten people worldwide falling ill from foodborne hazards annually. As a result, regulations and public expectations continue to grow, making effective food safety management systems essential across the entire supply chain – both to protect consumers and to support companies in meeting their ESG commitments and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Food safety management system: a definition
So, what is a FSMS? A food safety management system (FSMS) is a framework of interrelated processes and best practices that organisations use to direct and control how food quality and safety management policies are applied and food safety risks are managed.
Across the supply chain, from farm to fork, numerous companies play a part in ensuring that food ultimately reaches the consumer. Each contributes to the final product, making it essential that every link in the value chain implements food safety management to a recognised standard appropriate to its role, whether in farming, logistics, manufacturing, food service or retail.
A range of food safety standards exists for this exact purpose. Many organisations adopt schemes benchmarked by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), as well as ISO 22000, both which cover the entire supply chain and are widely used. Launched in the 2000s, GFSI is a business-driven initiative by a consortium of retailers, producers and consumers across the globe.
What is the purpose of a food safety management system?
The purpose of an FSMS is to provide a structured approach to producing safe food, a fundamental requirement for protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence. An effective FSMS enables businesses to comply with legal obligations, meet customer expectations around food safety, and identify, manage and mitigate risks associated with foodborne illnesses. It can also support efforts to feed a growing global population more sustainably by reducing food waste caused by preventable food safety issues.
While companies are free to develop their own FSMS as long as it meets regulatory requirements, expectations are changing. Customers, regulators and society increasingly look for the added assurance of third‑party certification to one or more recognised standards, such as ISO 22000 or GFSI‑benchmarked schemes. For many organisations, certification has therefore become a ticket to trade.
Why is a FSMS important?
A FSMS is important because it helps to reduce the global burden of illness and death caused by failures in food safety. Foodborne diseases have serious consequences for public health and impose significant economic costs, not only on societies but also on the organisations involved. Beyond the immediate financial impact of product recalls and potential legal action, businesses may be forced to destroy contaminated products, leading to wasted resources, materials and labour.
Conversely, the consistent and reliable production of safe food protects consumers and strengthens a business’s reputation, enhancing trust, and opening new market opportunities. This can be particularly beneficial for smaller companies or new entrants seeking to qualify as approved suppliers. A structured approach to food safety management can also reduce costs over the long term by preventing issues before they occur, while enabling the FSMS to be aligned or integrated with other management system standards.
Implementing an FSMS requires the involvement of employees at all levels, helping to foster engagement, improve job satisfaction and support staff retention. When individuals understand the critical importance of their roles in maintaining food integrity and safety, they are more likely to feel motivated and responsible for the outcomes.
What are the key elements of a food safety management system?
Implementing a Food Safety Management System is a strategic decision that helps an organisation improve its overall food safety performance, meet customer and regulatory requirements, and establish a strong foundation for long‑term sustainability initiatives. A management system provides a structured framework built around several key elements:
- Strategic Alignment
- Policies and Objectives
- Process Management
- Performance Measurement
- Compliance and Risk Management
- Continual Improvement
All GFSI‑benchmarked food safety standards incorporate these core elements, forming the essential framework for establishing, operating and continually improving an effective FSMS.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that identifies physical, chemical, and biological hazards in production processes that can cause the finished product to be unsafe.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
GMP encompasses every aspect of production, including starting materials, premises, equipment, and the training and personal hygiene of staff.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are detailed, written instructions to achieve uniformity of performance of a specific function.
Prerequisite Programs (PRPs)
Prerequisite Programs (PRPs) are procedures, including Good Manufacturing Practices, that address operational conditions providing the foundation for the HACCP system.
Traceability and Recall Systems
These systems ensure that in the event of a problem, the food can be removed from sale quickly and efficiently, and the source of the problem can rapidly and accurately be identified
Food Safety Culture
Food safety culture refers to the attitudes, beliefs, practices, and values that shape what happens when no one is watching, ultimately influencing food safety performance and compliance.
Certification to ISO standards or other GFSI‑benchmarked schemes follows a similar process. Neither ISO nor GFSI issues certificates directly; instead, accreditation bodies or scheme owners recognise certification bodies, which in turn are authorised to conduct independent third‑party audits and certify organisations.
The process typically involves developing and implementing an FSMS, which should first undergo an internal audit to confirm readiness. The selected certification body then conducts the formal certification audit. To maintain certification, both internal and external audits must be carried out regularly.
Certification bodies such as DNV can assist from the beginning by providing Food Safety Training courses needed to help with initial understanding of the standards and their requirements, provide specialist training to develop internal auditors, and services and digital tools to assess gaps against the requirements in the chosen standard.
