ISO 22000:2018 Checklist for Food Importers and Resellers

Use this checklist before you onboard a new food supplier, renew a contract, or prepare for an audit tied to [ISO 22000:2018](/regulations/iso-22000).

1. **ISO 22000:2018 Certificate** — Confirm the supplier holds a current, valid certificate and check the certification body name and expiry date, not just a logo on a brochure.

2. **HACCP plan** — Ask for the actual Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plan, not a summary. It should name specific control points for the product you're buying, not a generic template.

3. **Pre-requisite programmes (PRPs)** — Request documentation covering the basic conditions that support food safety, such as hygiene, pest control, and facility maintenance. These sit underneath the HACCP plan and are part of ISO 22000:2018 requirements.

4. **Food safety hazard analysis** — Check that hazards relevant to your specific product category (biological, chemical, physical) have been identified and assessed, not just a general statement that hazards were reviewed.

5. **Scope match** — Verify the certificate scope actually covers the product and process you're importing. A certificate for one food category does not automatically cover another.

6. **Date alignment** — Check that the certificate, HACCP plan, and PRP documents are all current and were not issued years apart, which can signal the system has not been reviewed consistently.

7. **Traceability back to the supplier** — Make sure the documents are issued to the specific supplier or site you are sourcing from, not a parent company or a different facility.

8. **Record of corrective actions** — Ask whether the supplier can show how past non-conformities were addressed. A system with no record of corrections is harder to verify than one with a documented history.

9. **Renewal tracking** — Note the certificate's expiry date in your own records so you are not caught sourcing from a supplier whose ISO 22000:2018 compliance has lapsed.

This list will not catch every risk in a food supply chain, but it gives you a concrete starting point when a new supplier sends over a folder of certificates and you need to know what is actually worth checking. For ongoing supplier documentation across multiple sourcing relationships, see [supplier compliance](/supplier-compliance).

If you want help keeping these documents organized across suppliers and renewal dates, you can try Complyra.