Kim Ring is the Communications Director at Kiwa ASI, where she leverages her B.A. in Communication from The University of Missouri, a lifelong Celiac Disease diagnosis, and 10 years in Public Relations to drive home the importance of food safety across every public-facing channel on behalf of Kiwa ASI.
Ashlyn Anderson earned her B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master’s in Teaching & Learning from Colorado State University. As Marketing Coordinator for Kiwa ASI, Ashlyn manages content and social media campaigns that break down the nuances of certification, making the complex process more approachable.
Foundation FSSC published FSSC 22000 Version 7 on May 1, 2026. Version 6 audits continue until April 30, 2027, and every certified site then gets a full Version 7 upgrade audit between May 1, 2027 and April 30, 2028. Here is what changes, clause by clause, and how to get your site ready.
FSSC 22000 Version 7 at a Glance
Version 7 rebuilds FSSC 22000 on the new ISO 22002-x:2025 prerequisite program (PRP) standards, aligns the scheme with the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements 2024, adds requirements that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals, splits the food chain categories into more defined sub(sub)categories, and makes editorial fixes across the scheme.[1] FSSC 22000 itself still combines three things: ISO 22000:2018, the PRP standard for your sector, and the FSSC 22000 additional requirements.[2]
- May 1, 2026Foundation FSSC released Version 7FSSC Version 7 FAQ
- Apr 30, 2027Last day for Version 6 auditsVersion 7 Upgrade Process
- 12 monthsWindow for every site's Version 7 upgrade audit: May 1, 2027 to April 30, 2028Version 7 Upgrade Process
- 40,000+Organizations certified to FSSC 22000 worldwideFoundation FSSC, Dec 2025
Key takeaways
- Nothing changes at your audit before May 1, 2027. Every audit until then is a Version 6 audit, and the upgrade happens at your next scheduled audit after that date, as a full Version 7 audit.
- The biggest piece of work is the PRP switch: ISO 22002-100:2025 now applies to every sector, plus a sector part such as ISO 22002-1:2025 for food manufacturing.
- The additional requirements add laboratory analysis to ISO/IEC 17025, competence for food defense and food fraud teams, resources and personnel commitment for food safety culture, packaging design principles, and measurable food loss and waste targets.
- Audit time is recalculated under a new formula, and reductions to the calculated time are no longer allowed outside the scheme's set exemptions.
Updated October 1, 2026 with the full Version 7 scheme text, the upgrade rules and the GFSI benchmarking status.
When Do Sites Move to Version 7?
Version 6 audits are allowed through April 30, 2027. From May 1, 2027 to April 30, 2028, each certified site has a full Version 7 upgrade audit at its next scheduled audit. Certificates that haven't been upgraded are withdrawn after June 30, 2028.[4]
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | Foundation FSSC releases Version 7 and the upgrade rules.[3] |
| By early August 2026 | Certification bodies must tell their certified sites about Version 7 within three months of publication.[4] |
| Sept 1 to Oct 1, 2026 | GFSI public stakeholder consultation on Version 7, part of its benchmarking review.[5] |
| Through Apr 30, 2027 | All FSSC 22000 audits are Version 6 audits. |
| May 1, 2027 to Apr 30, 2028 | Each site's next scheduled audit (surveillance or recertification) is its Version 7 upgrade audit. |
| June 30, 2028 | Certification bodies must have finished uploading upgrades. Remaining Version 6 certificates are withdrawn after this date. |
| Your audit | Version | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Surveillance or recertification audit before May 1, 2027 | Version 6 | Prepare now; your following audit will be the upgrade. |
| Surveillance or recertification audit on or after May 1, 2027 | Version 7 (full upgrade audit) | There is no separate, stand-alone upgrade audit. |
| Initial certification with Stage 1 before May 1, 2027 and Stage 2 after | Stage 1 to Version 6, Stage 2 to Version 7 | Both stages can also be done to Version 7 once the window opens. |
| Audit using the ICT (remote plus on-site) approach in the window | Version 7 for both parts | A single audit can't mix scheme versions. |
| Unannounced audit due during the window | Version 7, unannounced | The upgrade audit can be the site's three-yearly unannounced audit. |
From the Foundation FSSC Version 7 Upgrade Process and Version 7 FAQ.
In an upgrade at a surveillance audit, your certificate keeps the expiry date of your Version 6 certificate. The certification body then reissues the certificate showing Version 7.[4]
What Are the Biggest Changes in Version 7?
Five changes create most of the work for certified sites. Each card shows the scheme clause, what changed from Version 6, and what to do before your upgrade audit.
New PRP standards: ISO 22002-100 plus a sector part
- Part 1, Table 1
- ISO 22002-100:2025
- What changed
- Version 6 used ISO/TS 22002 technical specifications (and BSI/PAS 221 for retail). Version 7 uses the ISO 22002-x:2025 series: ISO 22002-100:2025 holds the PRPs common to every sector, and a sector part adds the rest, such as ISO 22002-1:2025 for food manufacturing.[1][6]
- Why it matters
- Your PRP program, procedures and records were written against the old documents. The 2025 series reorganizes the requirements into a common part and sector parts, so treat this as a full gap assessment, not a find-and-replace of references.[3]
- What to do now
- Buy ISO 22002-100:2025 and your sector part, run a gap assessment against your current PRPs, and update references in your procedures and HACCP documents before your upgrade audit.
Laboratory analysis to ISO/IEC 17025, and science-based specifications
- 2.5.1
- What changed
- Where lab analysis verifies or validates parameters critical to food safety, the analysis must now be performed in line with the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Version 6 only listed accreditation as one example of a competent laboratory. Specifications used for food safety must also rest on sound scientific principles when no legislation sets them.[1][7]
- What to do now
- List every test that supports a CCP, an allergen claim, environmental monitoring or a release decision. Confirm each lab, including any in-house lab, meets ISO/IEC 17025 for that test, and document the scientific basis for each specification limit.
Competent people behind food defense and food fraud
- 2.5.3
- 2.5.4
- What changed
- The threat and vulnerability assessment steps now sit in ISO 22002-100 (clauses 16.2 and 16.3). The FSSC requirement adds that the people who develop and maintain the food defense plan and the food fraud mitigation plan must have appropriate knowledge and competence.[1]
- What to do now
- Name the team for each plan and keep training or experience records that show their competence. An auditor will ask how the person who scored your vulnerabilities learned to do it.
Food safety culture with resources and visible commitment
- 2.5.8
- What changed
- Senior management must now also provide sufficient resources to maintain a positive food safety and quality culture, and a demonstrable commitment from all personnel to producing and handling food safely must be available.[1]
- What to do now
- Show the budget, time and people assigned to your culture objectives, and keep evidence of commitment on the floor: signed commitments, toolbox talks, near-miss reports and survey results.
Packaging design principles and food loss and waste targets
- 2.5.13 (g)
- 2.5.16
- What changed
- Sites that design primary packaging or packaging material must now consider four principles drawn from the Save Food packaging design criteria: protect the product through the supply chain, preserve or extend shelf life, minimize food loss and waste, and tell consumers how to handle, store and prepare the food, without harming food safety. Food loss and waste objectives now need measurable targets with timelines.[1][8]
- Who it applies to
- The food loss and waste requirement (2.5.16) doesn't apply to packaging manufacturers (category I), but the packaging design principles apply to every organization that designs primary packaging or packaging material.[3]
Which PRP Standard Applies to Your Site?
Under Version 7 every site applies ISO 22002-100:2025, the common PRP standard, plus the sector part for its food chain category. Brokers and traders (FII) are the exception: they have no PRP standard. The table shows the PRP documents in Version 6 and Version 7 for each category.[1][7]
| Food chain category | Version 6 PRP | Version 7 PRP |
|---|---|---|
| BIII Pre-process handling of plant products | ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-1:2025 |
| C0 to CIV Food manufacturing (incl. pet food) | ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-1:2025 |
| D Feed and animal food | ISO/TS 22002-6:2016 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-6:2025 |
| E Catering and food service | ISO/TS 22002-2:2013 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-2:2025 |
| FI Retail, wholesale and e-commerce | BSI/PAS 221:2013 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-7:2025 |
| FII Brokering, trading and e-commerce | None | None (ISO 22000 and FSSC additional requirements only) |
| G Transport and storage | ISO/TS 22002-5:2019 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-5:2025 |
| I Food packaging manufacturing | ISO/TS 22002-4:2013 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-4:2025 |
| K Bio/chemicals (additives, processing aids, cultures) | ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 | ISO 22002-100:2025 + ISO 22002-1:2025 |
Sites keep using the ISO/TS documents until their upgrade audit; Version 6 still references them.
The ISO/TS documents were technical specifications. The 2025 series replaced them with full international standards.[3] A packaging manufacturer that makes only packaging applies ISO 22002-100 and ISO 22002-4, not the food manufacturing part.[3]
Version 7 also splits several categories into sub(sub)categories, such as CIV-1 for thermally or pressure processed products and I-1 for plastics. These decide which auditors are qualified to audit your site. They don't change your certificate's licensing or accreditation scope.[4] Check that your scope statement still describes your products and processes clearly.
What Changed in the FSSC 22000 Additional Requirements?
Compared clause by clause with Version 6, and apart from updated references to the new PRP standards, the FSSC 22000 additional requirements in Version 7 change in twelve places. Logo use, environmental monitoring, quality control, equipment management and the three-working-day notification of serious events are essentially unchanged.[1][7]
| Clause | Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5.1 Purchased materials and services | Labs must be competent; accreditation such as ISO 17025 is one example | Analysis of parameters critical to food safety follows ISO/IEC 17025; specifications rest on scientific principles where no law sets them; some requirements extend to BIII |
| 2.5.2 Labeling and printed materials | Artwork and print control required for packaging makers (I) | Required for any organization that prints labels or materials |
| 2.5.3 Food defense | Threat assessment and plan written into the clause | Builds on ISO 22002-100 clause 16.2; plan developed and maintained by competent people |
| 2.5.4 Food fraud mitigation | Vulnerability assessment and plan written into the clause | Builds on ISO 22002-100 clause 16.3; plan developed and maintained by competent people |
| 2.5.6 Allergen management | Feed (D) could mark the section N/A where no allergen law applies | Pet food (C) gets the same allowance, unless an allergen claim is made |
| 2.5.8 Food safety and quality culture | Senior management sets culture objectives | Adds sufficient resources and demonstrable commitment from all personnel |
| 2.5.10 Transport, storage and warehousing | Stock rotation procedure with FEFO and FIFO | Stock management procedure with FEFO and FIFO |
| 2.5.12 PRP verification | Routine (e.g., monthly) site inspections for BIII, C, D, G, I and K | Also applies to catering (E) and retail (FI) |
| 2.5.13 Product design and development | Shelf-life trials expected for all listed categories | Shelf-life trials for BIII, C, D and K; new packaging design principles (g) |
| 2.5.14 | Health status of personnel (feed, D) | Replaced by traceability of all edible carcass parts, including blood, for slaughter (C0) |
| 2.5.16 Food loss and waste | Policy and objectives required | Objectives need clear, measurable targets with defined timelines |
| 2.5.18 Multi-site certification | Catering, retail, trading and storage (E, F, G) | Pre-process handling of plant products (BIII) added |
Summarized from a sentence-by-sentence comparison of the Version 6.0 and Version 7.0 scheme documents. Read the full clause text before you change procedures.
How Will Version 7 Audits Be Different?
Version 7 audits follow the same structure as Version 6, with no grades, a three-year cycle with two surveillance audits, and at least one unannounced audit every three years. What changes is how audit time is calculated and a set of tighter certification rules.[1]
| Rule | Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Extra FSSC time (TFSSC), under 100 FTE and up to 2 HACCP studies | 1.0 auditor day | 0.5 auditor day |
| TFSSC, 100 to 249 FTE and up to 2 HACCP studies | 1.0 auditor day | 1.0 auditor day |
| TFSSC, 250+ FTE or 3+ HACCP studies | 1.5 auditor days | 1.5 auditor days |
| Reductions to the calculated time | Up to 0.25 day off the ISO 22003-1 base time | None allowed |
| Minimum audit duration | 2 days | 1.5, 2 or 2.5 days depending on TFSSC; never under 2 days for C, D and K |
| Small-site exemption | Simple processes, under 20 FTE, 1 HACCP study: 1.5 days | Under 20 FTE and up to 2 HACCP studies: 1.5 days, all categories |
| Rounding | Up to the nearest half day | Up to the nearest quarter day |
The base time (Ds) still comes from ISO 22003-1:2022. Your certification body recalculates your audit time and issues a Version 7 contract or addendum.[4]
Smaller sites may see less FSSC-specific time, but the base time can no longer be trimmed. The Foundation doesn't add time for the upgrade audit itself, although a certification body may if it sees a need.[4]
| Topic | Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping audits in the cycle | Not stated | Not allowed; a surveillance audit can't be replaced by a recertification audit |
| Recertification more than 6 months early | Not stated | Starts a new three-year cycle and shortens the current certificate |
| Moving to a new location | At least a Stage 2 audit | Certificate withdrawn within 3 working days of the certification body being told the old site has closed; Stage 2 at the new site within 6 months, or a full initial audit |
| Off-site storage | Same legal entity and FSMS, used only for the site's products | Also in the same country; storing for sister companies adds category G; storing for other customers needs separate certification |
| Full remote audits after a serious event | Allowed under the addendum | No more than two in a row, then an on-site audit |
| Unannounced audit with no production running | Not stated | Audit can't proceed and is rescheduled |
| Major nonconformity evidence | Investigation of causative factors | Root cause named explicitly; follow-up verifies the correction too |
Nonconformity timelines are unchanged. Minor findings need correction evidence, a root cause and a corrective action plan approved within 28 days of the audit. Majors must be closed within 28 days. A critical finding suspends the certificate within 3 working days and needs a root cause and action plan within 14 days, followed by an on-site audit between six weeks and six months later.[1]
Is FSSC 22000 Version 7 GFSI-Recognized?
Not yet. As of October 1, 2026, FSSC 22000 Version 7 is going through GFSI benchmarking against the 2024 requirements. GFSI held a public stakeholder consultation from September 1 to October 1, 2026, covering scopes BIII, C0, CI to CIV, D, G, I and K.[5][9] Version 6 remains the GFSI-recognized version in the meantime.
Foundation FSSC has said it doesn't plan new Board of Stakeholders decisions before Version 7 becomes auditable, but it can't rule them out while benchmarking continues.[3] Check for updates before your upgrade audit.
What Changes for Certification Bodies and Auditors?
Certification bodies and auditors have their own Version 7 deadlines. These don't create work for your site, but they explain why your auditor may change or why your certification body will send you a new contract.
- Every Version 6 auditor must pass exams on the Version 7 scheme and on ISO 22002-100:2025 plus the sector parts they audit, and be requalified for the new sub(sub)categories by May 1, 2027.[4]
- Certification bodies must extend their ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO 22003-1 accreditation to Version 7 before May 1, 2027. Accredited bodies can't issue unaccredited Version 7 certificates.
- New certification bodies can only apply for a license to Version 7, from October 1, 2026.
- Version 7 adds rules for certification bodies that use artificial intelligence: a governance framework, a risk assessment and validation for each AI system, and transparency with clients. AI can support the process but can't replace human judgment or certification decisions.[1]
How Should You Prepare for the Upgrade Audit?
Start with the PRP standards, because they touch every program. Most sites can finish the work well before their upgrade audit if they start in the next few months.
- 01Confirm your upgrade audit dateAsk your certification body which audit in the May 2027 to April 2028 window will be your upgrade, whether it could be unannounced, and how your audit time changes.Now
- 02Buy and gap-assess the new PRP standardsGet ISO 22002-100:2025 and your sector part, and compare every clause with your current PRP program and records.Next 3 months
- 03Update the FSSC additional requirementsLabs and ISO/IEC 17025, specification limits, artwork control, food defense and fraud competence, culture resources, food loss and waste targets.Next 6 months
- 04Check your scope and categoriesMake sure your scope statement and food chain category match the Version 7 descriptions and sub(sub)categories.Next 6 months
- 05Train the team and run an internal auditBrief everyone who owns a program, then audit the whole system against Version 7, including Part 100 and your sector part.3 to 6 months before the audit
- 06Close the gaps and keep recordsGive each changed program time to produce records the auditor can sample.Before the audit
Version 7 readiness checklist
- PRP standards in hand: ISO 22002-100:2025 and your sector part.
- PRP gap assessment finished and actions assigned.
- Procedures and HACCP documents reference the 2025 PRP standards.
- Laboratory analysis for food safety parameters meets ISO/IEC 17025 (2.5.1).
- Specification limits have a documented scientific or legal basis (2.5.1).
- Artwork and print control in place if you print labels or materials (2.5.2).
- Food defense and food fraud teams have competence records (2.5.3, 2.5.4).
- Culture plan shows resources and personnel commitment (2.5.8).
- Food loss and waste objectives have measurable targets and timelines (2.5.16).
- Packaging design principles considered if you design packaging (2.5.13 g).
- Scope statement and category checked against Version 7.
- Internal audit completed against the full Version 7 scheme.
How Kiwa ASI Can Help
Kiwa ASI delivers FSSC 22000 certification in the United States as part of the Kiwa group. Certificates are issued by a Kiwa group certification body licensed by Foundation FSSC and accredited to ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO 22003-1. Our team can confirm when your Version 7 upgrade audit will fall and how your audit time changes under the new formula. See FSSC 22000 certification for the full audit process.
Our training covers the programs Version 7 tightens: food safety culture, food defense, food fraud, allergen management, environmental monitoring and internal auditing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was FSSC 22000 Version 7 released?
Foundation FSSC released FSSC 22000 Version 7 on May 1, 2026. Version 6 audits continue until April 30, 2027, and Version 7 upgrade audits take place from May 1, 2027 to April 30, 2028.
Is the Version 7 upgrade audit a separate audit?
No. The upgrade happens at your next scheduled surveillance or recertification audit in the upgrade window. It is a full audit against Version 7 and can be unannounced if your three-yearly unannounced audit is due.
Can we be audited to Version 7 before May 2027?
No. Audits are to Version 6 until April 30, 2027, and Version 7 upgrade audits start on May 1, 2027. For a new certification, Stage 1 can be done to Version 6 before May 1, 2027 and Stage 2 to Version 7 after it.
What happens if a site isn't upgraded by April 30, 2028?
Certification bodies must finish all upgrades on the FSSC Assurance Platform by June 30, 2028. Any Version 6 certificates still remaining after that date are withdrawn and removed from the public register.
What is ISO 22002-100:2025?
ISO 22002-100:2025 is the common prerequisite program standard that applies across the food chain. Under Version 7 every site applies it together with the sector part for its category, such as ISO 22002-1:2025 for food manufacturing. Brokers and traders (FII) have no PRP standard.
Will our audit take longer under Version 7?
It depends on your site. The FSSC-specific time drops to half a day for sites under 100 FTE with up to two HACCP studies, but reductions to the calculated base time are no longer allowed. Your certification body recalculates the time and issues a Version 7 contract or addendum.
Is FSSC 22000 Version 7 GFSI-recognized?
Not yet. As of October 1, 2026, Version 7 is in GFSI benchmarking against the 2024 requirements, and GFSI's public consultation ran from September 1 to October 1, 2026. Version 6 remains GFSI-recognized in the meantime.
Do packaging manufacturers need ISO 22002-1?
No. A site that makes only food packaging applies ISO 22002-100:2025 and ISO 22002-4:2025. The new packaging design principles in clause 2.5.13 apply to any organization that designs primary packaging or packaging material.
Will my certificate expiry date change after the upgrade?
Not if the upgrade happens at a surveillance audit. The certificate keeps its Version 6 expiry date and is reissued to show Version 7. A recertification audit starts a new three-year cycle as usual.
Did the nonconformity deadlines change in Version 7?
No. Minor findings still need an approved corrective action plan within 28 days, majors must be closed within 28 days, and a critical finding suspends the certificate within three working days. Version 7 now names root cause explicitly in the evidence it asks for.
Plan your Version 7 upgrade
Find out when your upgrade audit falls, how your audit time changes, and what your site needs before then.
Questions? Email US.Info@kiwa-asi.com or call 1 (800) 477-0778.
Keep reading
- PageFSSC 22000 CertificationAudit process, costs, Version 7 timing and how to get certified.
- BlogIFS vs. FSSC 22000 vs. BRCGSHow the major GFSI schemes compare.
- PageWhat Is GFSI Certification?How GFSI benchmarking works and which schemes it recognizes.
- BlogSQF Edition 10 for Storage and DistributionThe other big 2027 scheme change, clause by clause.
- TrainingFood Safety Culture TrainingBuild the culture program clause 2.5.8 now expects.
- TrainingPrinciples of Internal AuditingAudit your system against Version 7 before the certification body does.
Sources
- Foundation FSSC. FSSC 22000 Scheme Version 7.0 (May 2026), Parts 1 to 5. fssc.com (PDF)
- Foundation FSSC. FSSC 22000 Version 7: Key Changes Explained (May 7, 2026). fssc.com
- Foundation FSSC. FSSC 22000 Version 7 FAQ. fssc.com
- Foundation FSSC. Version 7 Upgrade Process, version 1.0 (May 1, 2026). fssc.com (PDF)
- GFSI. New public stakeholder consultation for FSSC 22000 Version 7, GFSI BMRs v2024 (September 1, 2026). mygfsi.com
- ISO/TC 34/SC 17. Publication of the ISO 22002 series: Prerequisite Programmes for food safety (September 12, 2025). iso.org
- Foundation FSSC. FSSC 22000 Scheme Version 6.0 (April 2023), compared clause by clause with Version 7. fssc.com
- Australasian Institute of Packaging. Save Food Packaging Design Criteria resource booklet. endfoodwaste.com.au (PDF)
- GFSI. Programmes undergoing benchmarking against version 2024. mygfsi.com
- Foundation FSSC. FSSC Announces 40,000+ Organizations Now FSSC 22000 Certified (December 18, 2025). fssc.com