FSSC 22000 in Australia:
Version 7 explained
The three parts of the scheme, the Version 6 to Version 7 dates, what an ISO management system adds to your HACCP plan, and the audit cycle.
FSSC 22000 is a GFSI-recognised scheme built from three parts: ISO 22000:2018, sector prerequisite programs from the ISO 22002 series, and FSSC additional requirements. Version 7 was published in May 2026. Version 6 audits run until 30 April 2027; from 1 May 2027 all audits are to Version 7. Certificates last three years, with yearly surveillance audits.
Version 6 to Version 7: the key dates
Starting from scratch in 2026? Build to Version 7. You won’t have to redo the work a few months later.
| Date | What happens | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | Version 7 published | Scheme documents are available from FSSC. The 12-month transition begins. |
| From 1 April 2027 | New certifications move to Version 7 | If your initial Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits fall from this date, both are to Version 7. |
| 30 April 2027 | Last Version 6 audits | No audits to Version 6 after this date. |
| From 1 May 2027 | All audits to Version 7 | Certified sites upgrade at their next audit. |
| 30 April 2028 | Transition audits complete | Every certified site should have had its Version 7 upgrade audit. |
Sources: FSSC, “Update about FSSC 22000 Version 7”; UKAS Technical Bulletin on FSSC 22000 v7 transition; DNV and Eurofins summaries (2026). Confirm your own audit dates with your certification body.
Three parts, one certificate
You must meet all three to be certified. For a food manufacturer, this is what each part means.
ISO 22000:2018
The food safety management system. It uses the same high-level structure as ISO 9001, so it sits well alongside other ISO systems.
Prerequisite programs
Version 7 uses ISO 22002-100:2025 (common PRPs) plus ISO 22002-1:2025 for food manufacturing. Version 6 used ISO/TS 22002-1.
FSSC additional requirements
Extra rules set by the scheme owner, Foundation FSSC, on top of the ISO documents. Version 7 expands them.
Source: FSSC 22000 Scheme Version 7.0, Part 1. ISO documents are bought separately from ISO or Standards Australia.
FSSC additional requirements in Version 7
These sit outside ISO 22000. Many sites that know ISO well still get findings here.
Controls you’ll recognise
- Management of services and purchased materials
- Product labelling and printed materials
- Management of allergens
- Environmental monitoring
- Hazard control and cross-contamination prevention
- PRP verification
- Transport, storage and warehousing
Areas that are often new
- Food defence
- Food fraud mitigation
- Food safety and quality culture
- Quality control
- Product design and development
- Equipment management
- Food loss and waste
- Communication requirements
From FSSC 22000 Scheme Version 7.0, Part 2, section 2.5. Logo use, multi-site and category-specific clauses also apply where relevant.
From a HACCP plan to an ISO 22000 system
Your hazard analysis carries forward. The management system around it is usually the bigger job.
| Area | Typical HACCP-only site | What FSSC 22000 expects |
|---|---|---|
| Context and scope | Scope is “what we make” | Documented context, interested parties and a defined management system scope |
| Risks and opportunities | Only food hazards assessed | Business-level risks to the system assessed and acted on, as well as food hazards |
| Control measures | CCPs only | A hazard control plan that separates CCPs from operational PRPs (OPRPs) |
| Validation | Limits taken from guidance | Evidence that each control measure can achieve the intended control |
| Objectives | None written | Measurable food safety objectives, tracked and reviewed |
| Internal audit and review | Occasional checks | Planned internal audits and management review with set inputs and outputs |
| PRPs | Cleaning and pest control records | PRPs mapped to the ISO 22002 parts for your sector, with verification |
Summary only. See also HACCP and prerequisite programs.
How to get FSSC 22000 certified
A three-year cycle, not a yearly one. There’s no grade: you’re certified or you’re not.
Get the documents and train
Buy ISO 22000 and your ISO 22002 parts, and download the FSSC scheme. Train your lead on ISO 22000 and internal auditing.
Gap analysis and plan
Compare your system against all three parts. Most HACCP sites find the biggest gaps in the management system clauses.
Implement and run it
Build the system, then run it long enough to complete an internal audit and a management review.
Choose a licensed certification body
Only FSSC-licensed certification bodies can certify you. Ask about audit days and Version 7 readiness.
Readiness audit
The auditor checks your documented system and whether you’re ready for Stage 2.
Certification audit
A full on-site audit of how the system works in practice. It must happen within six months of Stage 1.
Surveillance audits
The first falls within 12 months of the certification decision. At least one surveillance audit in each three-year period is unannounced.
Recertification
A recertification audit before the certificate expires, preferably at least three months ahead.
Source: FSSC 22000 Scheme Version 7.0, Part 3; FSSC, “How to become FSSC 22000 certified”.
What FSSC 22000 costs you
Audit days depend on your food chain category, site size and HACCP studies. Budget across the full three-year cycle.
Fees you pay out
- Stage 1, Stage 2, surveillance and recertification audit days
- Buying the ISO standards
- ISO 22000 and internal auditor training
- Consultant or pre-audit, if used
Work on site
- PRP upgrades to meet ISO 22002
- Environmental monitoring testing
- Validation studies for control measures
Your team’s time
- Writing the management system
- Objectives, internal audits and reviews
- Culture, fraud and defence plans
- Version 7 upgrade work, if already certified
Is FSSC 22000 the right scheme for you?
FSSC 22000, SQF and BRCGS are all GFSI-recognised and sit at the same level. FSSC 22000 is the most management-system based. That suits some sites and frustrates others.
FSSC 22000 fits well if
- You already run ISO 9001 or ISO 14001
- Your buyers or export customers name FSSC 22000
- You want to decide how to meet a requirement, not be told
- You want an entry step first: the FSSC Development Program, aligned to GFSI Global Markets
Look elsewhere if
- You’d rather have a standard that spells things out: see BRCGS certification
- Your key buyers name SQF: see SQF certification
- You’ve never run a management system and have no one to own it
The FSSC Development Program gives a Conformity Statement, not a certificate. Coles and Woolworths programs sit on top of a GFSI certificate: see Coles and Woolworths audit prep.
Three parts, one place for the evidence
FSSC auditors move between ISO clauses, PRPs and additional requirements. Your records need to keep up.
FSSC 22000 clause tracking
Track progress against FSSC 22000 clauses with evidence notes, so your gap analysis stays current.
HACCP and all 18 PRPs
CCP monitoring with deviation alerts, plus ready templates for all 18 prerequisite programs.
Corrective actions
Root cause, owner, due date and evidence for every finding, across surveillance years.
Purchased materials
A supplier certificate vault with expiry alerts and approved supplier records.
Traceability
Batch and lot records, so you can show recall readiness when asked.
Audit pack in about a minute
One-click export, organised by requirement. Built in Melbourne, with data stored in Sydney.
An unannounced audit, and the evidence in under a minute
Under the scheme rules, an unannounced audit starts within an hour of the auditor arriving. There’s no time to tidy binders.
Open the clause
The auditor asks about PRP verification. Your clause progress and evidence notes are already there.
Show the follow-through
Pull the corrective action for last quarter’s finding, with root cause and close-out evidence.
Export the audit pack
One click builds the pack, organised by requirement, while the auditor is still in the opening meeting.
Free: 59-point Retailer Audit Readiness Checklist (PDF + Excel)
Test your records against what auditors check first, before your FSSC 22000 audit.
Related
FSSC 22000: common questions
What is the current version of FSSC 22000?
What is the difference between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000?
Does FSSC 22000 have unannounced audits?
How long is an FSSC 22000 certificate valid?
Is FSSC 22000 better than SQF or BRCGS?
Be ready for Version 7, and for any audit.
Find your gaps across all three parts, then keep the evidence one click from the auditor.