PECB ISO 22000 Foundation key terms

A structured set of interrelated policies, processes, and responsibilities an organization uses to control food safety hazards and consistently deliver safe food products to consumers.

A biological, chemical, or physical agent in food, or a condition of food, that has the potential to cause an adverse health effect on the consumer.

A hazard caused by living organisms or their products, such as pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, moulds, or toxins, capable of causing illness when present in food.

A hazard arising from chemical substances in food, including cleaning residues, pesticides, veterinary drugs, allergens, mycotoxins, or migration from packaging materials, that may harm consumers.

A hazard caused by foreign objects such as glass, metal, stones, plastic, or bone that can injure a consumer or cause choking when present in food.

The process of identifying hazards, evaluating their significance, and determining the controls needed to prevent, eliminate, or reduce them to an acceptable level.

A systematic, science-based methodology using seven principles to identify hazards, establish control points and limits, and verify that food safety controls are effective.

A document that describes the procedures to be followed to ensure control of hazards significant to food safety, based on the principles of HACCP.

A step in the process at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a significant food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

A measurable value that separates acceptability from unacceptability at a critical control point, such as a minimum temperature or maximum pH.

A control, identified through hazard analysis as essential, that manages significant hazards using criteria and monitoring rather than the critical limits of a critical control point.

Basic hygiene and operational conditions and activities needed to maintain a hygienic food production environment, forming the foundation on which hazard-specific controls are built.

Recognised practices covering cleaning, personnel hygiene, pest control, maintenance, and sanitation that establish basic hygienic conditions in food operations.

The set of documented procedures and facility standards that ensure products are consistently produced and controlled according to defined quality and food safety requirements.

The planned sequence of observations or measurements of control parameters that assesses whether a control measure is working and produces records for verification.

A failure to meet a critical limit or an operational prerequisite programme criterion, which requires the affected product to be evaluated and handled under a defined procedure.

An action taken to eliminate a detected nonconformity, such as segregating or reworking affected product, without necessarily addressing the underlying cause.

An action taken to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity or deviation and prevent its recurrence, including reviewing the effectiveness of the action taken.

The application of methods, procedures, tests, and evaluations, other than monitoring, to confirm that the food safety management system is implemented and effective.

Obtaining evidence that the control measures selected and combined in a food safety management system are capable of achieving the intended level of hazard control.

Any action or activity that can prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level, whether applied as a prerequisite programme, operational control, or critical control point.

The level of a food safety hazard that is not to be exceeded in the final product, established on the basis of legal requirements, customer expectations, and scientific evidence.

A documented statement of an organization's overall intentions and direction on food safety, providing a framework for setting food safety objectives and demonstrating top management commitment.

A measurable goal or target that an organization sets to achieve the intentions stated in its food safety policy, which is monitored and updated as needed.

The person or group of people who direct and control an organization at its highest level, responsible for providing resources and demonstrating leadership on food safety.

A planned top management evaluation of the food safety management system's continuing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness, using defined inputs and producing decisions on improvement.

A systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining objective evidence and evaluating it against defined audit criteria to assess the food safety management system's effectiveness.

A failure to meet a requirement, whether a legal requirement, a customer requirement, or a requirement of the food safety management system standard itself.

The recurring activity of enhancing the performance of the food safety management system, using data from verification, audits, and reviews to drive positive change over time.

The ability to follow the history, application, or location of food, ingredients, and packaging through all stages of production, processing, and distribution, supporting recall and withdrawal.

The removal of a food product from the market because it presents a food safety risk to consumers, requiring notification of authorities and effective communication with customers.

The removal of a food product from the market for reasons other than a food safety risk, such as a labelling error or quality complaint, without implying consumer harm.

A substance in food, typically a protein from a recognised allergenic source, that can trigger an immune-mediated adverse reaction in susceptible consumers and must be controlled and declared.

The transfer of a hazard from one food, surface, or material to another, such as raw meat juices reaching ready-to-eat food or allergens entering a non-allergen line.

Any unintended object or substance in food, such as metal fragments, glass, plastic, or pests, that is managed through prevention, detection, and segregation controls.

A defined limit on the presence of microorganisms or their toxins in a food at a specified point in the food chain, used to verify process control and product safety.

The sequence of stages from primary production through processing, distribution, retail, and consumption, in which food safety hazards must be controlled by all participants.

A person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or activity related to food safety, such as customers, regulators, or suppliers.