HACCP vs ISO 22000 vs FSSC 22000: Which Food Safety Certification Should Your Factory Have?

Short answer: HACCP is a hazard-analysis method; ISO 22000 is an international food safety management system standard that includes HACCP; FSSC 22000 is a certification scheme built on ISO 22000 plus sector-specific prerequisite programmes and extra requirements, and it is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Large retailers usually want a GFSI-recognised scheme (FSSC 22000, BRCGS, IFS or SQF). Smaller brands often accept HACCP or ISO 22000 plus a recent audit. What you need depends on your buyers and your market, not on a ranking.

The certifications at a glance

What each one means in practice

HACCP is a systematic way to identify hazards (biological, chemical, physical) and set critical control points. Many countries require it by law: Japan made HACCP-based hygiene management mandatory for almost all food businesses from 1 June 2021 (importers themselves are covered by general hygiene management rather than the HACCP requirement, according to MHLW). A “HACCP certificate” can mean many things: check who issued it and what standard was audited.

ISO 22000 adds a management system: policy, objectives, internal audits, management review, and prerequisite programmes such as hygiene, pest control and traceability. It is audited by an accredited certification body.

FSSC 22000 takes ISO 22000 and adds sector-specific prerequisite programmes (ISO/TS 22002 series) and extra requirements such as food defence and food fraud prevention. Because it is GFSI-recognised, many multinational buyers accept it in place of a customer audit.

BRCGS and IFS are older retailer-led standards, also GFSI-recognised, with detailed audit protocols. They are common in UK and European supply chains.

What your market expects

• United States: FDA requires registered facilities and compliance with FSMA rules; certification is not a legal substitute, though buyers often ask for GFSI schemes. See import food from Vietnam to the US.
• European Union: hygiene law is mandatory; retailers commonly require BRCGS, IFS or FSSC 22000.
• Japan: HACCP-based hygiene management is required of food businesses; importers often ask for ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 or an audit report. See importing food into Japan (Japanese only).
• Halal, organic, Kosher, Fairtrade: separate certifications that address religious or production standards, not food safety. See Halal manufacturing in Vietnam.

How to verify a certificate

1. Ask for the certificate and the scope: product categories and site address must match what you will buy.
2. Check the expiry date and the issuing certification body.
3. Confirm that the body is accredited. IAF CertSearch lets you check accredited certificates for participating bodies.
4. For FSSC 22000, check the FSSC public register. For BRCGS, use the BRCGS online directory.
5. Ask for the most recent audit summary and any major non-conformities.
6. Don’t rely on a logo on a website. Certificates can lapse or exclude certain lines.

What this means for choosing a factory

If you sell to large retailers or the EU, shortlist FSSC 22000 / BRCGS / IFS sites. If you sell DTC or to specialty retailers, ISO 22000 or HACCP with a documented audit is often enough. Whichever you need, write it into the contract.

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Sources and last checked (2026-11-13)

• FSSC 22000 Version 7 GFSI recognition: GFSI press release, 10 Nov 2026. Check fssc.com for the transition dates from Version 6.
• BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9: brcgs.com.
• Japan HACCP: MHLW HACCP page.