Build a globally recognized Food Safety Management System that combines ISO 22000, sector-specific prerequisite programs and FSSC Scheme requirements — and prepare confidently for independent FSSC 22000 certification in Saudi Arabia.
Qdot provides end-to-end FSSC 22000 consultancy across Saudi Arabia for food and feed manufacturers, bottled-water and beverage companies, ingredient producers, food-contact packaging manufacturers, catering and food-service organizations, storage and distribution operations, cold-chain businesses and other eligible food-chain organizations. Our support can include gap assessment, ISO 22000 implementation, PRP development, HACCP review, food defense, food fraud mitigation, allergen controls, environmental monitoring, supplier controls, traceability, food-safety and quality culture, internal audit, management review and certification-audit readiness.
Planning FSSC 22000 Certification in Saudi Arabia?
Speak with Qdot about your food-chain category, facility, current ISO 22000/HACCP status and target certification or Version 7 transition timeline.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy and FSSC 22000 Certification Support Across Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's food and beverage sector is expanding across manufacturing, processing, packaging, cold chain, warehousing, catering, retail supply and export-oriented production. At the same time, brand owners, retailers, institutional buyers and multinational supply chains increasingly expect suppliers to demonstrate mature food-safety controls through recognized certification schemes.
Qdot provides FSSC 22000 consultancy in Saudi Arabia for organizations that need a practical Food Safety Management System (FSMS) capable of working under real production conditions. Our consultants work with food-safety teams, quality, production, engineering, maintenance, procurement, warehousing, logistics and top management to align the system with the organization's products, processes, risks, customer requirements and applicable Saudi regulations.
For companies seeking FSSC 22000 certification in Saudi Arabia, Qdot supports implementation and certification readiness. The formal FSSC 22000 audit and certificate are handled by an FSSC-licensed and accredited Certification Body. This separation protects the independence and credibility of the certification process.
What Is FSSC 22000?
FSSC 22000 is a complete Food Safety Management System certification scheme owned and governed by Foundation FSSC. It is built on ISO management-system principles and combines three core elements: ISO 22000 requirements, sector-specific prerequisite-program requirements, and FSSC Scheme requirements including additional requirements, applicable Board of Stakeholders decisions and interpretation articles.
Unlike ISO 22000 alone, FSSC 22000 adds sector-specific operational requirements and additional controls that address issues such as food defense, food fraud, allergens, environmental monitoring, equipment management, food-safety and quality culture, and other food-chain risks. This makes the scheme especially relevant for organizations serving customers that require a GFSI-recognized food-safety certification program.
Current FSSC 22000 Version — Important 2026 / 2027 Transition
Current position — September 2026: FSSC 22000 Version 7 was published on 1 May 2026, but certification audits against Version 6 remain permitted until 30 April 2027. Initial and upgrade audits against Version 7 begin from 1 May 2027. Upgrade audits are to be completed during the transition window through 30 April 2028, with remaining Version 6 certificates withdrawn from the FSSC Assurance Platform after 30 June 2028.
This means organizations starting an FSSC project in Saudi Arabia during 2026 should not treat Version 7 as a distant future issue. A sensible implementation approach is to satisfy the currently auditable Version 6 requirements while designing the FSMS so that the move to Version 7 — including the new ISO 22002-x:2025 prerequisite-program structure — can be completed without rebuilding the system.
Qdot can structure new projects and upgrade projects around the organization's certification timing. Scheme documents, Board of Stakeholders decisions and interpretation articles should always be verified against Foundation FSSC's current published resources before every certification project, as these form part of the mandatory certification requirements.
What Makes Up FSSC 22000 Certification?
1. ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System
ISO 22000 provides the management-system and food-safety framework: organizational context, leadership, planning, resources, communication, hazard control, verification, internal audit, management review and continual improvement.
2. Sector-Specific Prerequisite Programs (PRPs)
FSSC requires organizations to implement the PRP standard relevant to their food-chain category. During the Version 7 transition, organizations should be aware that the new scheme uses the ISO 22002:2025 series, including ISO 22002-100 common PRP requirements plus the applicable sector-specific part. Version 6 audits continue to use the PRP references defined by Version 6 until the transition date.
3. FSSC Scheme and Additional Requirements
FSSC adds mandatory Scheme requirements beyond ISO 22000 and PRPs. These requirements are designed to address practical supply-chain and food-safety risks and must be implemented as part of certification. Organizations also need to monitor applicable Board of Stakeholders decisions and Scheme Interpretation Articles.
Why Saudi Organizations Pursue FSSC 22000 Certification
- Customer, retailer, brand-owner or multinational supplier approval requirements.
- Access to supply chains that request a GFSI-recognized food-safety certification program.
- Stronger control of food-safety hazards, prerequisite programs and HACCP-based controls.
- More mature controls for food fraud, food defense, allergens, environmental monitoring and product integrity.
- Improved supplier approval, specification control and purchased-material management.
- More reliable traceability, withdrawal and recall capability.
- Standardization across multiple factories, warehouses, central kitchens or distribution sites.
- Improved audit readiness for customers, certification bodies and regulatory inspections.
- Stronger management oversight through objectives, KPIs, internal audits and management review.
- Better alignment of food safety with quality, environmental, occupational health and other management systems.
- Improved confidence for export, contract manufacturing, private-label or institutional food-supply relationships.
FSSC 22000 and Saudi Food-Safety Requirements
FSSC 22000 certification is a voluntary third-party certification scheme unless a customer, tender, contract or supply-chain arrangement makes it a commercial requirement. It does not replace Saudi regulatory obligations. Food businesses must continue to meet applicable SFDA, Gulf, municipal, industrial-city, labeling, licensing, product-registration and other legal requirements relevant to their activities.
SFDA maintains an active requirement for food and water factories in Saudi Arabia to implement HACCP. FSSC 22000 builds beyond basic HACCP by placing hazard control within a broader management system and adding sector-specific PRPs and FSSC Scheme requirements. An FSSC certificate should therefore be presented as evidence of a certified food-safety management system — not as a substitute for SFDA licensing or regulatory inspection.
Which Organizations Can Pursue FSSC 22000 Certification?
Eligibility depends on the FSSC food-chain categories and the activities included within the certification scope. Typical organizations in Saudi Arabia that may fall within eligible scopes include:
- Food and ingredient manufacturers.
- Dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, bakery, confectionery, dates, edible oils and processed-food manufacturers.
- Bottled-water, beverage and juice manufacturers.
- Feed manufacturers and certain animal-feed supply-chain organizations.
- Central or industrial kitchens that fall within the applicable food-manufacturing category.
- Catering and food-service operations within the applicable catering category.
- Food-contact packaging manufacturers.
- Food warehouses, cold stores, transport and distribution organizations.
- Retail, wholesale and e-commerce food operations where covered by the Scheme category.
- Manufacturers of certain biochemical ingredients, processing aids or food-chain chemicals within eligible scope.
- Multi-site food organizations where the Scheme's certification and sampling rules permit the proposed structure.
Eligibility, category and scope should be confirmed before implementation. Qdot can review the organization's products, processes, sites and supply-chain role to identify the correct certification category and applicable PRP requirements.
Qdot's 12-Step FSSC 22000 Consultancy Methodology
1. Scope, Category and Certification Route Review
Confirm legal entity, sites, products, processes, food-chain category, certification boundaries, customer requirements, applicable FSSC version and PRP standards.
2. FSSC Gap Assessment
Evaluate the existing system against ISO 22000, the applicable sector PRPs, FSSC additional requirements, applicable BoS decisions and interpretation articles.
3. Implementation Plan and Governance
Define project ownership, food-safety team, responsibilities, milestones, evidence requirements, resources and management review cadence.
4. PRP and Facility Control Development
Strengthen hygiene, zoning, utilities, sanitation, pest control, maintenance, storage, personnel hygiene, contamination prevention and other sector-specific PRPs.
5. Hazard Analysis and Control Measures
Review products, process flows and HACCP studies; identify hazards; assess significance; establish OPRPs/CCPs; define monitoring, corrections, corrective actions and verification.
6. FSSC Additional Requirements
Implement the applicable controls for supplier/material management, labeling, food defense, food fraud, allergens, environmental monitoring, equipment, food-safety and quality culture, food loss/waste and other Scheme requirements.
7. Supplier, Specification and External Provider Controls
Develop risk-based supplier approval, emergency procurement controls, raw-material and finished-product specifications, external laboratory controls and service-provider monitoring.
8. Traceability, Recall and Crisis Readiness
Strengthen batch traceability, mass balance where applicable, mock recall, withdrawal/recall decision-making, crisis communication and emergency response.
9. Training, Competence and Food-Safety Culture
Train food-safety team members, internal auditors, managers and operational personnel; reinforce responsibilities and culture expectations.
10. Implementation Records and Performance Monitoring
Operate the system, generate records, monitor KPIs, verify PRPs and food-safety controls, review trends and address emerging risks.
11. Internal Audit, Corrective Action and Management Review
Complete the full-system internal audit, close findings, verify corrective-action effectiveness and conduct management review.
12. Certification Audit Readiness and Support
Prepare for Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits, support audit logistics and evidence readiness, and help the organization respond to certification-body findings without compromising auditor independence.
FSSC 22000 Version 7 — Key Areas Organizations Should Prepare For
Version 7 retains the core ISO 22000 management-system foundation but incorporates the new ISO 22002-x:2025 PRP series and updated FSSC requirements. Organizations implementing or upgrading during the current transition should pay particular attention to the following areas:
- Correct use of ISO 22002-100:2025 common PRP requirements together with the applicable sector-specific ISO 22002 part when Version 7 becomes auditable.
- Updated food-chain category definitions and certification scope statements.
- Strengthened Scheme additional requirements and applicable Board of Stakeholders decisions.
- Product design and development controls, including considerations relevant to safe and sustainable packaging where applicable.
- Routine PRP verification / site-inspection requirements based on risk.
- Food-safety and quality culture implementation and evidence.
- Food fraud mitigation and food defense plans that are risk based and periodically reviewed.
- Allergen management, environmental monitoring and cross-contamination controls where applicable.
- Equipment management, maintenance and hygienic-design considerations.
- Food loss and waste controls without compromising food safety.
- Governance of digital tools and AI use where relevant to Scheme requirements and certification activities.
- Updated audit-duration, certificate and Assurance Platform requirements managed by the Certification Body.
Prerequisite Programs (PRPs) Under FSSC 22000
PRPs establish the basic hygienic and operational conditions required before HACCP-based controls can work reliably. Weak PRPs often create recurring audit findings because organizations attempt to manage basic hygiene or facility conditions through CCPs rather than controlling the underlying environment.
Depending on the sector, PRPs can cover building layout, utilities, water and air, waste, equipment suitability, preventive maintenance, cleaning and sanitation, pest control, personnel hygiene, rework, warehousing, transport, allergen segregation, foreign-matter prevention, food-contact materials and other controls.
For Version 7, FSSC uses the ISO 22002:2025 series. For example, food manufacturers use ISO 22002-100:2025 together with ISO 22002-1:2025; catering uses Part 100 plus ISO 22002-2:2025; transport and storage use Part 100 plus ISO 22002-5:2025; packaging uses Part 100 plus ISO 22002-4:2025. The precise normative documents must be confirmed for the organization's food-chain category.
Food Defense and Site Security
FSSC requires organizations to assess threats that could lead to intentional contamination or harm and to establish proportionate food-defense controls. A practical food-defense program can include threat assessment, access control, visitor management, sensitive-area protection, contractor controls, incident escalation, employee awareness and periodic review.
Food defense should be appropriate to the site and its risks. Controls for a large beverage plant, a packaging factory and a cold-store operation will not be identical.
Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation
Food fraud relates to intentional substitution, dilution, misrepresentation or other economically motivated deception that can affect product integrity and potentially food safety. Qdot can help establish a structured vulnerability assessment considering raw-material history, supply-chain complexity, price volatility, detectability, supplier controls and product attractiveness.
Mitigation measures may include approved-source restrictions, authenticity testing where justified, supplier verification, specification controls, mass balance, traceability, market intelligence and enhanced monitoring of higher-risk materials.
Allergen Management
Where allergens are relevant, the organization should maintain an allergen management plan covering raw materials, supplier information, storage, production scheduling, changeover, cleaning, rework, labeling, validation and verification. FSSC implementation should connect allergen risk directly to HACCP, PRPs, labeling and complaint management.
Environmental Monitoring
For relevant food-chain categories, an environmental monitoring program can provide evidence that hygienic controls are effective in the production environment. A risk-based program should define target organisms or indicators, sampling locations, frequencies, methods, limits, trend review, escalation and corrective action. The design should reflect product risk, process exposure and facility conditions.
Food-Safety and Quality Culture
FSSC expects organizations to move beyond policies and demonstrate management behaviors, communication, competence and performance that reinforce food safety and quality. Qdot can help translate culture expectations into measurable objectives, awareness activities, leadership behaviors, reporting channels, employee involvement and management-review inputs.
Equipment Management, Maintenance and Hygienic Design
Equipment can create food-safety risk through poor hygienic design, damaged food-contact surfaces, lubricant contamination, foreign-body hazards, ineffective cleaning or maintenance practices. FSSC implementation should connect equipment specification, acceptance, preventive maintenance, change control, sanitation, calibration and post-maintenance release.
Food Loss and Waste
FSSC includes requirements related to food loss and waste. Organizations should identify opportunities to reduce loss and waste while ensuring that food-safety controls, product disposition, rework, donations and alternative-use decisions do not compromise legal, customer or food-safety requirements.
Traceability, Mass Balance, Withdrawal and Recall
A mature FSSC system should be able to trace materials and products rapidly across receipt, production, packing, storage and dispatch. Where product or claim integrity requires mass balance, records should support the relevant calculation. Mock recalls should challenge the system, not simply confirm that documents exist.
Qdot can help organizations define batch coding, one-step-back / one-step-forward traceability, recall-team responsibilities, communications, decision criteria, mock-recall scenarios, effectiveness review and corrective action.
Supplier Approval, Laboratory Testing and Specification Control
FSSC requires structured control of purchased materials and external services. Supplier approval should be risk based and supported by specifications, performance monitoring, verification, incoming inspection or testing as appropriate. Where laboratory analysis is used for critical food-safety verification or validation, the laboratory should be competent and capable of producing reliable results using validated methods, with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation or equivalent evidence used where appropriate.
FSSC 22000 Certification in Saudi Arabia — How the Certification Process Works
Companies searching for FSSC 22000 certification in Saudi Arabia should understand that the certificate is not issued by the consultant. Qdot supports implementation, training, internal audit and readiness; an FSSC-licensed and accredited Certification Body conducts the formal audits and makes the certification decision.
- Confirm FSSC eligibility, food-chain category, scope, sites and applicable scheme version.
- Implement ISO 22000, the relevant PRPs and all applicable FSSC Scheme requirements.
- Operate the FSMS sufficiently to generate records and evidence of effective implementation.
- Complete internal audit, corrective actions and management review.
- Select an FSSC-licensed Certification Body with the appropriate category scope.
- Complete Stage 1 audit to evaluate readiness, scope and system design.
- Address Stage 1 issues where required.
- Complete Stage 2 audit across applicable products, processes, shifts and sites.
- Close certification-audit nonconformities within the Certification Body's requirements.
- Receive the independent certification decision and certificate if requirements are satisfied.
- Maintain certification through annual surveillance audits, including the Scheme's unannounced-audit requirements, and recertification every three years.
Important: Qdot does not issue the FSSC 22000 certificate and does not present itself as the Certification Body. Certification is conducted by an FSSC-licensed and accredited Certification Body.
FSSC 22000 vs ISO 22000 vs HACCP
| Framework | What It Is |
|---|---|
| HACCP | Hazard-analysis and control methodology focused on identifying and controlling significant food-safety hazards. It is not the same as FSSC 22000. |
| ISO 22000 | International certifiable Food Safety Management System standard combining management-system requirements with HACCP-based food-safety controls. |
| FSSC 22000 | Certification scheme built on ISO 22000 plus sector-specific PRPs and FSSC Scheme/additional requirements. It is widely used where customers seek a GFSI-recognized food-safety certification program. |
The correct route should be based on customer requirements, market expectations, regulatory obligations, organization size, sector and supply-chain role. Qdot can help determine whether HACCP, ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000 is the most appropriate target.
FSSC 22000 for Food Manufacturing Companies
Food manufacturers often have the strongest commercial need for FSSC 22000 certification because retailers, brand owners and multinational customers may require a GFSI-recognized scheme. Implementation should connect the management system with actual production controls: receiving, storage, preparation, processing, cooking, cooling, filling, packaging, labeling, metal/foreign-body control, warehousing and dispatch.
FSSC 22000 for Bottled Water and Beverage Companies
Bottled-water and beverage manufacturers can use FSSC 22000 to integrate source-water or ingredient controls, treatment, sanitation, microbiological monitoring, packaging integrity, utilities, maintenance, traceability and recall readiness. Saudi regulatory and HACCP requirements remain applicable alongside certification.
FSSC 22000 for Food Packaging Manufacturers
Food-contact packaging can affect product safety even when the organization does not manufacture food. FSSC 22000 can apply to eligible packaging manufacturing operations and requires the appropriate packaging-sector PRPs together with ISO 22000 and Scheme requirements. Controls may include raw-material approval, contamination prevention, ink/chemical management, migration or product-safety requirements where applicable, print/artwork control, foreign matter, storage and traceability.
FSSC 22000 for Catering and Food Service
Eligible catering and food-service organizations can apply FSSC 22000 to procurement, receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, cooling, hot holding, transport, service, allergen management, cleaning, staff hygiene and traceability. Central or industrial kitchens may fall under a manufacturing category depending on the process and service model, so category determination should be completed before certification planning.
FSSC 22000 for Cold Chain, Warehousing and Distribution
Storage and distribution organizations can influence food safety through temperature control, segregation, stock rotation, product damage, pest control, vehicle hygiene, loading practices, traceability and emergency management. FSSC 22000 can provide a recognized framework for eligible transport and storage operations that need stronger supply-chain assurance.
FSSC 22000 for Multi-Site Organizations
Saudi groups may operate several factories, warehouses, kitchens or distribution sites. FSSC certification rules determine when multi-site structures or sampling may be applicable. Qdot can help standardize policies, procedures, food-safety controls, internal auditing and management review across sites while preserving site-specific hazard analysis and operational controls.
Typical FSSC 22000 Project Timeline
Implementation time depends on the size and complexity of the organization, number of products and HACCP studies, facility condition, maturity of existing ISO 22000/HACCP systems, number of sites and shifts, availability of competent personnel, and the amount of corrective work required. A mature food factory upgrading from ISO 22000 may progress faster than a new facility building its FSMS and PRPs from the beginning.
Qdot provides a project-specific implementation plan after the initial gap assessment rather than promising a fixed certification date. Certification timing also depends on the selected Certification Body and the applicable FSSC transition schedule.
Cost of FSSC 22000 Certification in Saudi Arabia
The total cost normally has two separate components: consultancy/implementation support and independent certification-body fees. Certification costs can vary based on food-chain category, employee count, HACCP studies, number of sites, shifts, audit duration, certification scope, complexity and travel requirements. Organizations should obtain a formal certification quotation from an FSSC-licensed Certification Body.
Why Choose Qdot for FSSC 22000 Consultancy in Saudi Arabia?
- Implementation support designed around actual food operations rather than generic documentation.
- Experience across ISO 22000, HACCP, GMP, Halal and integrated management systems.
- Ability to support manufacturing, packaging, catering, storage/distribution and multi-site food organizations.
- Focus on audit-ready evidence, implementation records and sustainable system ownership.
- Support across Saudi commercial cities and major industrial locations.
- Clear separation between consultancy and independent third-party certification.
- Ability to support Version 6 implementation while preparing organizations for the Version 7 transition.
- Post-certification support for surveillance audits, corrective actions and continual improvement.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & Certification Across Saudi Cities
Qdot supports organizations across Saudi Arabia searching for either FSSC 22000 consultancy or FSSC 22000 certification-readiness support. Delivery can be onsite, remote or hybrid depending on site locations and project scope.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Riyadh
Saudi headquarters, food manufacturers, central kitchens, institutional catering, warehouses, beverage businesses, importers and distribution groups in Riyadh can use FSSC 22000 to standardize food-safety controls across complex operations and customer supply chains. Qdot can support gap assessment, FSMS implementation, PRPs, HACCP review, FSSC additional requirements, internal audit, management review and readiness for an independent FSSC-licensed Certification Body audit.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Jeddah
Jeddah's food manufacturing, port-linked logistics, cold-chain, hospitality, catering, packaging and distribution sectors can benefit from FSSC 22000 implementation where customers or export-oriented supply chains expect recognized food-safety certification.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Dammam, Al Khobar & Dhahran
Eastern Province food, beverage, catering, industrial-food-service, packaging, warehousing and logistics organizations can implement FSSC 22000 to strengthen supplier assurance, operational controls and customer confidence.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Jubail
Jubail organizations supplying food manufacturing, industrial catering, warehouses and support services can use FSSC 22000 where the activity falls within an eligible food-chain category and customer requirements justify certification.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Yanbu
Food manufacturers, catering providers, packaging operations, warehouses and distribution activities in Yanbu can use FSSC 22000 to formalize food-safety management and certification readiness.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Makkah & Madinah
Hospitality, catering, central kitchens, food manufacturing, distribution and high-volume food-service operations serving visitors can benefit from strong traceability, hygiene, allergen, supplier and crisis-response systems.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Qassim & Buraidah
Food processors, dairy, dates, feed, agricultural-product processors, packaging and distribution businesses can use FSSC 22000 to strengthen supply-chain controls and support larger customer requirements.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Al Ahsa & Hofuf
Food and agricultural processing, dates, beverage, warehousing and distribution organizations can implement FSSC 22000 with controls tailored to local products, facilities and supply-chain risks.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Al Kharj
Al Kharj's concentration of food, beverage, dairy, water and industrial manufacturing creates strong relevance for FSSC 22000 implementation, customer approval and audit readiness.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Tabuk
Food, water, hospitality, catering, agricultural-processing, cold-chain and warehousing organizations in Tabuk can use FSSC 22000 where eligible and commercially appropriate.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Abha & Khamis Mushait
Food manufacturers, water companies, catering, hospitality and distribution organizations can implement FSSC 22000 to strengthen systematic food-safety assurance.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Jazan & Najran
Food processing, agricultural products, catering, warehousing and supply-chain businesses can use FSSC 22000 to structure food-safety controls and prepare for recognized certification where required.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & FSSC 22000 Certification in Rabigh
Food, logistics, warehousing, industrial catering and supplier organizations in Rabigh can pursue FSSC 22000 when their activity and certification category are eligible.
FSSC 22000 Consultancy & Certification in Saudi Industrial Cities
Qdot can support eligible food-chain organizations across Saudi industrial cities after confirming the correct FSSC category, scope and certification route. Each project should begin by confirming eligibility and the correct food-chain category before developing ISO 22000, PRPs and FSSC additional requirements. Coverage includes Riyadh Industrial Cities, Jeddah Industrial Cities, Dammam Industrial Cities, Sudair City for Industry and Business, Al Kharj Industrial City, Qassim Industrial Cities, Al Ahsa Industrial City, Madinah Industrial City, Jubail Industrial City and Yanbu Industrial City, where food, beverage, packaging, warehousing and related eligible operations are present.
FSSC 22000 is generally relevant only to eligible food-chain activities operating within or serving industrial ecosystems such as Ras Al-Khair City for Mining Industries, Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries and King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) — for example catering, food storage, packaging or food-related services supporting those ecosystems — rather than to the core mining, heavy-industry or energy manufacturing activities themselves. Qdot can also support eligible organizations in other MODON-managed industrial cities, subject to project scope and category confirmation.
Ready for FSSC 22000 Certification in Saudi Arabia?
Whether you are building your food-safety system from the beginning, upgrading from HACCP or ISO 22000, preparing for an initial FSSC 22000 audit, or planning the transition from Version 6 to Version 7, Qdot can help you develop a practical system and prepare your team for independent certification.
info@qdot-ksa.com | / +966 55 152 2482 / +966 53 349 8921
FAQs
FSSC 22000 is a Food Safety Management System certification scheme built on ISO 22000, sector-specific prerequisite programs and FSSC Scheme requirements. It is owned by Foundation FSSC.
No. ISO 22000 is the core FSMS standard. FSSC 22000 incorporates ISO 22000 plus sector-specific PRPs and additional Scheme requirements.
FSSC 22000 has maintained GFSI recognition, including Version 6. Version 7 was developed to align with the GFSI 2024 benchmarking requirements and is currently in the Scheme transition period.
Version 7 was published on 1 May 2026. However, Version 6 audits remain permitted until 30 April 2027. Version 7 audits start from 1 May 2027.
Upgrade audits are scheduled from 1 May 2027 through 30 April 2028. Foundation FSSC states that remaining Version 6 certificates will be withdrawn from the Assurance Platform after 30 June 2028.
No. Qdot provides consultancy, implementation, training, internal audit and certification-readiness support. The certificate is issued by an FSSC-licensed and accredited Certification Body after an independent audit and certification decision.
Eligible organizations can include food and feed manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, catering, storage/distribution and other activities within the FSSC food-chain categories. Scope eligibility must be confirmed before certification.
No. FSSC certification does not replace SFDA licensing, HACCP obligations, product requirements, inspections or other Saudi legal requirements.
Yes, HACCP-based hazard analysis and control is embedded through ISO 22000, but FSSC 22000 is broader than HACCP because it includes management-system requirements, PRPs and FSSC additional requirements.
Prerequisite Programs are basic operational and hygienic conditions such as sanitation, pest control, personnel hygiene, utilities, maintenance, contamination prevention and storage controls. The applicable PRP standard depends on the organization's food-chain category.
They include requirements related to areas such as food defense, food fraud, allergens, environmental monitoring, equipment management, food-safety and quality culture, supplier/material controls, labeling, food loss/waste and other Scheme-specific controls, depending on category.
You do not necessarily need to obtain a separate ISO 22000 certificate first. The FSSC system must meet ISO 22000 requirements as part of the FSSC certification scheme.
Yes, provided the organization is within an eligible FSSC category and implements the applicable PRPs and FSSC Scheme requirements. A gap assessment is recommended.
Timing depends on facility condition, existing HACCP/ISO 22000 maturity, number of products and HACCP studies, sites, shifts and corrective work. A project-specific plan should follow the gap assessment.
Costs depend on category, scope, workforce, sites, shifts, HACCP studies, audit duration and Certification Body. Consultancy and certification-body costs should be quoted separately.
Yes. The FSSC scheme includes unannounced-audit requirements within the certification cycle. The Certification Body manages the audit program according to Scheme rules.
Potentially, subject to the Scheme rules for the relevant category, site structure and certification scope. Multi-site eligibility should be confirmed with the Certification Body.
Yes. Organizations can integrate common management-system processes such as document control, competence, internal audit, corrective action and management review while preserving FSSC-specific food-safety requirements.
Saudi food and water factories should continue to meet applicable SFDA HACCP requirements. FSSC 22000 incorporates HACCP-based controls but does not remove regulatory obligations.
Yes. Qdot can support organizations across major Saudi cities and industrial locations, subject to project requirements, site access and scope.