Increasing consumer demand for safe food has led many companies to develop both food quality and food safety management systems based on hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP). Food safety is the most important issue in the global food supply chain. To facilitate international trade in food, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO 22000 in September 2005 for the certification of food safety management systems. The ISO developed this standard in close collaboration with the food industry.

The ISO 22000 standard is a generic food safety management standard. It defines a set of food safety management system requirements. It is an internationally recognized standard that aims to improve food safety by harmonizing the requirements for food safety management throughout the food supply chain. It covers all organizations in the food chain from farmers to catering, including packaging. ISO 22000 is a guidance standard describing the requirements of a food safety management system. It is also an auditable standard and can be used for certification and registration. ISO 22000 can be a useful business tool as it offers synergies to companies that have already implemented other ISO management systems. The standard can enable an organization to: 1) plan, implement, operate, maintain, and update a food safety management system; 2) demonstrate compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory food safety requirements; 3) evaluate and assess customer requirements relating to food safety; and 4) effectively communicate food safety issues to suppliers, customers, and relevant interested parties in the food chain.
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See also: ISO; ISO 9000; ISO 14000; Hazard analysis and critical control point