The new FSSC 22000 standard was published on May 1, 2026 and audits are mandatory to be conducted according to this new Version 7 starting from May 1, 2027.

Until Friday, April 30, 2027 (last audit day), Version 6 audits may still be conducted. All upgrade audits must be uploaded to the FSSC portal by June 30, 2028 at the latest.

Therefore, there is sufficient time to adjust to the new version. However, it must be noted that the new or adapted requirements must be implemented before the audit.

The standard can be downloaded for free here (link to FSSC website).

The upgrade audit to the new standard takes place as part of an announced or unannounced surveillance audit or during a regular recertification audit. An increase in audit time is not planned. After this audit, a new FSSC 22000 certificate with the current certificate details will be issued.

The main innovations with Version 7:

• Updated PRP foundations (ISO 22002 series): Integration of new or revised PRPs; clarifications on application by sector.
• Alignment with GFSI 2024: Clarifications in the scheme, reporting, and audit execution to ensure GFSI compliance.
• Strengthened FSSC additional requirements: Deepening of Food Safety & Quality Culture, Food Defence/Food Fraud, environmental monitoring, communication, and management of Food Loss & Waste.
• Editorial improvements: Consolidations, clarifications, and better readability to support implementation.
• Structure of Sub(sub)categories: Finer definition and clearer assignment within the food chain to better cover processes and products. This requirement primarily affects the certification body.
• Audit time calculation: The modalities, especially for the additional requirements, have been simplified so that the audit duration should not actually increase.

ProCert will have to recalculate all contracts to account for the changed conditions regarding audit time calculation as well as the adjusted classification of sub(sub)categories.

What next?

ProCert offers a free informational webinar on the new FSSC 22000 Version 7. A few days after the webinar, the recordings and the presentation will be available in the ‘Replay Library’ section of the Academy.