FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: How to Certify a High-Speed Production Line

Efficiency is a key element in the process of manufacture of snack foods. Often thousands of products can be manufactured every hour with the help of extruder machines, fryers, seasoning machines and packaging lines. And this is the reason why FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers certificate has become an absolutely desirable one for the snack food manufacturing industry. It is an evident proof that no matter what volumes of manufacture take place the requirements concerning food safety are always met and documented.

The FSSC 22000 Certification for the Snack Food Industry is becoming a necessity for the companies that deal with snack food manufacture for Indian and foreign markets. The certification of high-speed lines will differ from certification of low-speed batch kitchen, as a lot of attention is paid by auditors to the performance of control points in the process of continuous production.

This guide gives an understanding of the FSSC 22000 certification requirements, procedure and process to get FSSC 22000 certification in the case of snack food manufacturers who want to achieve their FSSC 22000 certification at the high speed snack line.

Another thing that needs to be mentioned right from the beginning is that the FSSC 22000 Certification for Snack Food Manufacturers is not a one-time event. This is due to the fact that the certificate must be renewed every year through a surveillance audit, and the processes that had been established by the facility to achieve FSSC 22000 certification in the first place have to keep functioning long after the auditor is gone.

Why FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers Matters for High-Speed Lines

There are several ways in which fast lines for producing snacks pose risks that are not posed by slow production methods. A malfunction of five seconds in metal detection, failure to notice a cleaning process for allergens, or an inadequate dosing of the seasoning can affect thousands of packages until someone notices. This is where FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers comes in handy, ensuring that food safety management systems are capable of running continuously at high speeds.

Moreover, the certification adds credibility to the business as well. Big players in the field of snacks, private label suppliers, and exporters begin demanding FSSC 22000 as one of the requirements from their suppliers, as it is with BRCGS and SQF demanded by others. Inability to provide it results in disqualification from tenders regardless of meeting the requirements regarding the quality of products. This is why understanding the requirements of FSSC 22000 for snacks early on is as important as the certification itself.

What is more, the certification creates a preventive attitude on the part of manufacturers. Instead of dealing with problems that arise after the problem has already happened, the manufacturer should have calibrating equipment, zoned hygienically and monitor processes in real-time to be able to foresee possible problems. The shift from reactive approach to preventive becomes one of the most essential transformations in the manufacturing process.

FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: Core Certification Requirements

The FSSC 22000 standard basically encompasses food safety management systems standard such as ISO 22000, sector specific prerequisites for the production of snacks and bakery foods and other scheme requirements such as food fraud prevention, food defense and allergens management among others. For detailed requirements specific to bakery and confectionery operations, refer to FSSC 22000 for bakery and confectionery units in India.

In an ultra-fast snack facility, there are a few requirements where special attention is warranted due to the rate at which the production is done:

These requirements are not exclusive to the snack processing industry, but their implementation varies greatly in terms of the way they are carried out if compared to production lines working at 200+ packs per minute.

FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: The Certification Process Step-by-Step

The process of FSSC 22000 certification for the snack food industry is well-structured, but the degree of detail involved in each stage of the process will vary based on the maturity of food safety systems that the facility possesses at the time of auditing.

1. Gap Assessment – Carry out the gap assessment of current processes versus the FSSC 22000 standards, PRP gaps, documentation issues or insufficient control measures of high-speed equipment.
2. System Documentation – Create or revise documentation for the food safety management system, HACCP plans taking into account the actual speed of the line and critical limits.
3. Training – Carry out the training for production, quality, and maintenance workers as high-speed lines require a high level of control by the operator.
4. Internal Audit – Carrying out the internal audit cycle in order to find any non-conformities before the external audit, similar to the way how auditor audits the line in operation.
5. Stage 1 Audit – The certification body will assess the documentation and get the line ready for the audit. This stage will identify all the significant gaps in the system.
6. Stage 2 Audit – An extensive and physical audit when auditors watch the line in operation, review the documentation, carry out the interviews and check the controls on site.
7. Certification Decision & Surveillance – Once the non-conformances have been closed, certification is granted, valid for three years, including one annual surveillance audit.

For organizations with relatively advanced quality systems, it usually takes between four to eight months for the above processes to be completed. Those that are not as advanced, particularly in documentation and calibration records, take about nine months.

FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: Audit Checklist for High-Speed Lines

A practical FSSC 22000 Snack Food Audit Checklist breaks the line into zones auditors typically examine in sequence, from raw material intake through final packaging.

FSSC 22000 Audit Checklist: Hygiene and Sanitation Controls The auditors verify sanitation controls such as the cleaning schedule of extruders, fryers and seasoning drums, confirming whether the record keeping is consistent with reality or merely theoretical. Auditors also assess personnel hygiene at high traffic zones like packing zones.

FSSC 22000 Audit Checklist: Equipment and Process Validation FSSC 22000 High Speed Production Line Certification truly distinguishes itself from other standard food safety audits in this area. Auditors examine the rejection rate of metal detector and x-ray machines, calibration records, and also perform rejection mechanism testing at line speeds.

FSSC 22000 Audit Checklist: Documentation and Traceability Traceability takes place backward from packs which have already been packed to batches of raw materials to confirm that batch numbering has not been affected by the fast speed of the packing process. Mock recall exercises are usually requested immediately.

FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: Common Certification Challenges

Similarly, manufacturers preparing themselves for FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers face common challenges, irrespective of the size of their plant:

• Calibration problems: Inadequate calibration of the metal detection and X-ray equipment is common, especially when the manufacturing process is conducted continuously for an extended duration of time.
• Pressure associated with allergen changeover: The faster the changeover from allergen to non-allergen products, the more likely there will be cross-contamination, as the quick cleaning validation procedure becomes difficult.
• Difficulty in documentation: There is no way that manual documentation will keep up with the fast pace of the production process.
• High operator turnover: This is another problem in the case of semi-skilled and shift operators.
• Mock recall preparedness: While it is possible that the majority of factories can track the batches, it will not happen within the period set by the auditor.

This is not a reason to defer the certification procedure but rather a good reason to implement this process in order to solve these issues in advance and avoid any potential problems related to product safety.

Normally, such gaps appear because organizations treat food safety as a paperwork activity rather than a daily routine. If the organization includes the line operator and maintenance personnel in the preparation process from the very beginning of the process and not just a week before the audit, then these gaps will be resolved faster.

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FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers: Cost and Timeline Overview

Costs and timelines vary by facility size, number of production lines, and how mature the existing food safety system already is.

The costs included in this figure refer to consultancy, training, and certification body audit cost, but it does not include costs related to the upgrade of equipment such as metal detectors and X-ray equipment, given the fact that the current inspection equipment does not meet the validation requirement. The surveillance audit will cost lesser than the initial certification audit since it involves only the sampling of the total system.

Should you be evaluating whether to do this yourself or to get help from third parties, our FSSC 22000 Certification service helps snack food manufacturers in the whole process of assessment, and our general information about FSSC 22000 for snack food manufacturers can be of great help if you are still evaluating between FSSC 22000, BRCGS, or SQF for your product line.

Key Takeaways for FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers

• FSSC 22000 for Snack Food Manufacturers enhances ISO 22000 as well as PRP specific to the industry, customized for a fast-moving and big operation.
• There shall be added controls for metal detectors, X-ray systems, and allergens changeover on a fast-moving line since there is no enough time for manual checks.
• Hygiene controls, validation of equipment, traceability, and food defense shall be included in the FSSC 22000 Snack Food Audit Checklist.
• A period of four to eight months will be required to gain certification with a cost varying based on facility and number of production lines.
• Continuous internal audit and corrections are essential for maintaining certification.