Upcoming FSSC 22000 V7 and New ISO 22002:2025 series

The Foundation FSSC has confirmed that Version 7 of the Scheme is expected to be published in early May 2026.

According to the official FSSC 22000 website, the primary drivers for Version 7 are:

• Incorporating the revised ISO 22002 series (published July 29, 2025) 
• Aligning the Scheme with GFSI 2024 benchmarking requirements
• Providing greater clarity on food chain categories
• Strengthening requirements to support organisations in their contributions to meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Editorial amendments as part of continuous improvement

Organisations currently certified under Version 6 will be granted a 12-month transition period from the date of Version 7's publication. During this window, Version 6 remains the active standard, utilising the ISO/TS 22002-x technical specifications.

The ISO 22002 series replaced the legacy Technical Specification (ISO/TS) PRP standards. Most parts were published on July 29, 2025, with the exception of ISO 22002-3 (Farming), which remains the 2011 version.

In addition, two new PRP standards have been introduced:

• ISO 22002-100 - A foundational standard that consolidates common PRP requirements - NEW!
• ISO 22002-1 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 1: Food manufacturing
• ISO 22002-2 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 2: Catering
• ISO 22002-3 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 3: Farming - 2011 version
• ISO 22002-4 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 4: Food packaging manufacturing
• ISO 22002-5 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 5: Transport and storage
• ISO 22002-6 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 6: Feed and animal food production
• ISO 22002-7 - Prerequisite programs on food safety - Part 7: Retail and wholesale - NEW!

• A foundational standard that consolidates common PRP requirements from ISO 22002-1, ISO 22002-2, ISO 22002-4, ISO 22002-5, ISO 22002-6 and the new ISO 22002-7, applicable across all sectors of the food, feed, and packaging supply chains. 
• By offering a unified framework, it simplifies PRP management for multi-sector organisations
• Acts as the "universal baseline" 

For example, a food manufacturing site will now implement its PRP using a combination of Part 100 (e.g., for general construction and building layout, personnel hygiene, etc) and Part 1 (for Food Manufacturing-specific PRP requirement).

Step 1: Download/ purchase standards

• V7 will be freely downloadable from the FSSC website following its publication in May 2026
• Purchase the ISO 22002-100:2025 (common PRPs) and your specific sector PRP standard (e.g., ISO 22002-1:2025 for Food Manufacturing)

Step 2: Awareness/Transition Training

• Ensure the Food Safety Team, Internal Auditors and Senior Management understand the high-level changes 

Step 3: Gap Assessment

• Compare your current V6 system against the new requirements

Step 4: Action Plan Development

• Assign responsibilities and timelines to close the identified gaps

Step 5: Implementation 

• Update your FSMS documents
• Train the wider staff on the updates
• Move from "paperwork" to "practice”

Step 6: Verification

• Conduct full system internal audit to verify effectiveness
• Address any gaps identified to ensure the system is ready for the formal transition audit

Upgrading from ISO to FSSC involves incorporating two additional components into your existing framework; however, this upgrade is seamless with systematic planning.

ISO 22000 (existing certification) + Sector-Specific PRPs (ISO 22002:2025) + FSSC Additional Requirements = FSSC 22000 V7

The preparation steps are similar to the approach outlined above.