ISO in food safety standard setting

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a non-governmental organization, composed of the national standards bodies of over 140 countries, that promotes the development of standardization to ease global trade. ISO drafts "International Standards" that are then agreed upon by members and may be incorporated into the members' national standards. Of late, ISO has expressed interest in traceability. It is now expanding its scope to include food safety standards as well.

ISO attributes the high number of food-borne illnesses to several factors, including:

• the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, the use of genetically modified organisms (i.e., increased allergy morbidity rate);
• the use of chemicals in agricultural production (i.e., direct hazards such as pesticide residues and growth hormones and indirect ones such as the use of antibiotics at subtherapeutic levels);
• the use of manufacturing processes that develop hazardous chemicals in food (i.e., acrylamide);
• the influx of persons with increased vulnerabilities (i.e., elderly and immune-compromised).

The group believes these factors may properly be addressed and managed by the development of adequate food safety management systems. To that end, since 2001, ISO has been working on an International Standard for food safety management systems. The Danish standardization body (DS) proposed a new work item to the Secretariat of ISO/TC 34 (Food Products) to develop specifications for food safety management systems. The proposal was suposedly prompted by unnamed "food manufacturers," whom ISO characterizes as "uncomfortable" with the current state of regulations, and who are seeking "certainty" in the form of guidance from national standard-making bodies.

The proposal was reportedly supported by a majority of the technical committee's participating members, and a working group (ISO/TC 34/WG 8) of fourteen members was established to begin draft preparation. The working group expects the standard, ISO/AWI 22000, to be published by the end of 2004. It is intended to assist food manufacturers in the appropriate use of HACCP principles and in integrating the system into a quality management system.

ISO recognized that international harmonization of food measures falls under the ambit of the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission. However, the working group determined that it should proceed with development of the IS, giving special consideration to relevant Codex, WHO, and FAO standards while still basing the standard upon ISO Guide 72:2001 "Guidelines for the justification and development of management system standards." ISO clearly notes the Codex authority on harmonization of food standards, but has expressed its belief that it needs to develop its own international food safety standards.

Denmark will be taking the lead in the development of the International Standard.