Prerequisites, traceability and emergencies

Operational planning and control (8.1)

Clause 8 is the standard's second PDCA cycle: planning hazard controls, applying them, verifying them and updating them. The planned changes from 6.3 and the control of externally provided processes are also brought in here.

Prerequisite programmes (8.2)

PRPs maintain hygienic conditions: construction and layout of premises, supply of water, air and energy, waste, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, personal hygiene, maintenance, management of purchased materials, storage, allergens and prevention of cross-contamination, among others. The standard asks you to take into account the applicable part of the ISO 22002 series, legislation and Codex codes.

In July 2025 ISO published the new series: ISO 22002-100 brings together the prerequisites common to the whole chain, and the sector parts — 1 for food manufacturing, 2 for catering, 4 for packaging, 5 for transport and storage, 6 for feed, 7 for retail — add their own. Part 1 replaced the 2009 technical specification.

Documented information must specify how PRPs are selected, established, monitored and verified.

Traceability system (8.3)

It must identify incoming material from suppliers and the first stage of distribution of the end product, and take into account the relationship between batches of raw material, intermediate and finished product, rework and distribution. Its effectiveness is verified and tested, and the evidence is retained for at least the shelf life of the product. In the European Union, Article 18 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 also requires this one-step-forward, one-step-back traceability.

Emergency preparedness and response (8.4)

Top management ensures there are procedures for responding to emergencies and incidents that could affect food safety: a fire, a flood, a prolonged water or power cut, sabotage or environmental contamination. The organisation responds, reduces the consequences, tests the procedures where practicable and reviews the documented information after each incident or test.

What an auditor usually asks for

• PRPs documented according to ISO 22002-100 and the applicable sector part
• Verification of PRPs with its frequency and owner
• Traceability exercise with response time and mass balance
• Traceability evidence retained for at least the product's shelf life
• Emergency plan with scenarios specific to the plant and recorded tests

How to cover prerequisites and traceability in Kimobox

1. 1Schedule cleaning, pest control and maintenance plans with their daily records and a warning if they fall behind.
2. 2Link raw material, production and dispatch batches so that a mock recall returns the affected lots instantly.
3. 3Document the emergency plan and schedule its tests as tasks with evidence.

ISO 22000 templates and records in this chapter

• ISO 22000 prerequisite programmes (PRP) plan template · Mandatory document
• ISO 22000 traceability and mock recall template · Mandatory record
• ISO 22000 food safety emergency plan template · Mandatory document

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

1. ISO 22000:2018 — Food safety management systems. Requirements for any organization in the food chain ISO · 2018 ed. (2nd edition), published June 2018
2. ISO 22000:2018/Amd 1:2024 — Climate action changes ISO · February 2024
3. ISO/DIS 22000 — Draft revision of the standard (3rd edition) ISO · Under development
4. ISO 22002-100:2025 — Prerequisite programmes on food safety. Part 100: requirements for the food, feed and packaging chain ISO · 29 July 2025
5. ISO 22002-1:2025 — Prerequisite programmes on food safety. Part 1: food manufacturing ISO · 29 July 2025; replaces ISO/TS 22002-1:2009
6. General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO) · 2020 revision
7. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs EUR-Lex · 29 April 2004
8. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Articles 18 and 19 (traceability and withdrawal) EUR-Lex · 28 January 2002