FSSC 22000 and ISO 22000 are both food-safety management system certifications. They overlap heavily but are not interchangeable. This page explains the difference and what brand-side procurement should require from a supplement OEM partner.
ISO 22000 — the underlying standard
ISO 22000 is the international standard published by ISO for food-safety management systems. It defines what a food-safety system must include — hazard analysis, prerequisite programmes, traceability, management responsibility, etc.
ISO 22000 by itself is a standard. Certification against ISO 22000 is offered by ISO-accredited certification bodies and is widely accepted, but the standard does not include the granular prerequisite programmes (PRPs) needed for global retailer recognition.
FSSC 22000 — the scheme built on top
FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification 22000) is a scheme that combines ISO 22000 with the detailed prerequisite programmes from ISO/TS 22002 (specific to the food sector) and additional FSSC scheme requirements.
Crucially, FSSC 22000 is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). GFSI recognition means major global retailers and brand owners (Walmart, Carrefour, Tesco, Costco, etc.) accept FSSC 22000 as sufficient. ISO 22000 alone is generally not GFSI-recognised.
What’s the practical difference for a supplement brand owner?
| Criterion | ISO 22000 | FSSC 22000 |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying standard | ISO 22000 | ISO 22000 + ISO/TS 22002 + FSSC requirements |
| GFSI recognised | No | Yes |
| Accepted by global retailers | Sometimes (varies) | Yes (default) |
| Audit frequency | Annual | Annual + unannounced surveillance |
| Detail of PRPs | General | Sector-specific (ISO/TS 22002) |
| Common in supplement OEM | Less common | More common as the de-facto standard |
What you should require from your OEM
For most B2B supplement applications targeting export or major retail channels, require FSSC 22000. ISO 22000 alone is fine for domestic-only Malaysian sale but won’t pass procurement at most international retailers.
Bionutricia’s certification
Bionutricia is FSSC 22000-certified at our Sungai Buloh facility. The certificate is audited annually by SGS and is verifiable on the FSSC 22000 public register. We also hold JAKIM HALAL, GMP, HACCP, US FDA registration, Kosher Star-K and MeSTI.
For a copy of our current FSSC 22000 certificate, email business@bionutricia.com. See our Halal Nutraceutical OEM page for full capability detail.
