HACCP, ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 & GLOBALG.A.P: the foundation

Q: What is the food safety foundation of olive oil?

Before the mass retail standards (IFS, BRCGS), there is a food safety foundation that any serious olive oil exporter benefits from building early: HACCP (hazard analysis and control), ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 (food safety management systems) and GLOBALG.A.P (good agricultural practices upstream, at the grove). This tripod is less expensive

Q: What is HACCP for a mill?

It is a method for analysing and controlling hazards (biological, chemical, physical) across the whole process, from receiving the olives to packaging. It is a regulatory foundation for producing foodstuffs and a prerequisite for GFSI standards such as IFS or BRCGS.

Q: What is the difference between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000?

ISO 22000 is the food safety management standard. FSSC 22000 adds the technical prerequisite programs (ISO/TS 22002-x) and a GFSI recognition — which makes it acceptable where ISO 22000 alone is not enough for mass retail.

Q: Where to start: ISO 22000 or IFS?

With ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 , the management foundation, cheaper and the natural base for everything else. IFS or BRCGS only come next, only when a mass retail prospect is confirmed. Do not pay for these GFSI audits speculatively.

Q: How much does ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 cost?

From around €3,000 for the initial certification, with a timeline of 6 to 12 months of implementation. The cost varies according to site size and the body (Bureau Veritas, INNORPI, DQS…).

Q: What is GLOBALG.A.P for olive oil?

It certifies good agricultural practices upstream — at the grove: inputs, safety, traceability, environment. It complements HACCP and ISO 22000, which cover processing, and strengthens the credibility of the complete chain grove → mill → container.

Q: Is HACCP mandatory?

Fundamentally, hazard control is a regulatory requirement to produce foodstuffs; HACCP is its methodological translation and the prerequisite of GFSI standards. It is the foundation to have in place before any channel certification.

Q: Does this foundation replace IFS or BRCGS?

No. HACCP, ISO 22000 and GLOBALG.A.P prepare IFS/BRC without replacing it. Mass retail and PL specifically require IFS Food or BRCGS . The foundation makes these audits attainable and avoids costly non-conformities. See IFS/BRC.

Q: Is FSSC 22000 enough for mass retail?

FSSC 22000 is GFSI-recognised , which makes it a good foundation, but many retailers and PL explicitly require IFS Food or BRCGS . Check the retailer's precise requirement: GFSI recognition facilitates, but does not guarantee, acceptance of an equivalent standard.

Q: Is this foundation linked to organic or the COA?

They are complementary . Organic certifies the production method, the COA the quality of the lot, and HACCP / ISO 22000 / GLOBALG.A.P the control of the process and the upstream. A premium exporter stacks these layers without confusion. See organic & Ecocert.

Available certifications

EcocertUSDA OrganicUE BioHalalKosherIFS / BRC

What is the food safety foundation of olive oil?

Before the mass retail standards (IFS, BRCGS), there is a food safety foundation that any serious olive oil exporter benefits from building early: HACCP (hazard analysis and control), ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 (food safety management systems) and GLOBALG.A.P (good agricultural practices upstream, at the grove). This tripod is less expensive than IFS/BRC and forms its natural base: you cannot efficiently certify to GFSI without functional HACCP behind it.

The logic is cumulative. HACCP is the regulatory and methodological foundation. ISO 22000 formalises it into a management system; FSSC 22000 is its GFSI-recognised version. GLOBALG.A.P covers the agricultural upstream. Together, they give credibility to the supplier and prepare, without replacing, the move to IFS/BRC for PL. Costs and timelines at the low end *July 2026 — to be verified *.

The foundation in brief

HACCP — analysis of hazards and critical points; regulatory base and GFSI prerequisite. Integrated into the quality approach.
ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 — food safety management; FSSC 22000 is GFSI-recognised. From €3,000 initial, timeline 6 to 12 months.
GLOBALG.A.P — good agricultural practices upstream (grove); complements the framework on the primary production side.

Golden rule: build the foundation before paying for an IFS or BRCGS audit — the most expensive GFSI standards. HACCP then ISO 22000 form the foundation; IFS/BRC are only pursued with a confirmed mass retail prospect. See IFS Food & BRCGS.

HACCP: the regulatory foundation

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) is a method for analysing and controlling hazards — biological, chemical, physical — throughout the process, from receiving the olives to packaging. It is not a commercial label but a regulatory foundation required to produce foodstuffs, and a prerequisite for GFSI standards.

For a mill, HACCP notably covers the critical points of storage (oxidation), flow separation (organic / conventional, allergens), and traceability per lot — consistent with the quality process and the COA.

ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000: the management system

ISO 22000 is the international standard for food safety management: it formalises HACCP into a documented, steered and continuously improved system. FSSC 22000 adds to ISO 22000 the technical prerequisite programs (ISO/TS 22002-x) and a GFSI recognition — which makes it acceptable where ISO 22000 alone is not enough.

Level	What it brings	GFSI recognition
HACCP	Hazard control, prerequisite	No (foundation)
ISO 22000	Formalised management system	Not alone
FSSC 22000	ISO 22000 + technical prerequisites	Yes (GFSI)

Indicative cost: from €3,000 for the initial certification.
Indicative timeline: 6 to 12 months of implementation.
Bodies: Bureau Veritas, INNORPI, DQS, among others.

It is the best early investment: more moderate than IFS/BRC, it is expected by any serious buyer and serves as the foundation for the rest. To be pursued early, without waiting for a retail prospect.

GLOBALG.A.P: good practices upstream

GLOBALG.A.P certifies good agricultural practices at the level of primary production — the grove: input management, safety, traceability, respect for the environment and workers. It complements the foundation on the upstream side, where HACCP and ISO 22000 focus on processing and packaging.

For an olive oil, GLOBALG.A.P strengthens the credibility of the complete chain (grove → mill → container) and fits naturally with an organic project, which already traces the management of the plots. It is particularly expected by certain European buyers demanding on the agricultural upstream.

Where this foundation sits in the certification journey

Regulatory & quality foundation: exporter approval (ONH), per-lot analysis / COA (IOC-approved lab), HACCP.
Management foundation: ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 (GFSI base) and GLOBALG.A.P upstream.
Channel certifications: IFS Food or BRCGS, only with a committed mass retail / PL customer — the most expensive item, never advanced speculatively. See IFS/BRC.

Do not skip a step: launching an IFS audit without solid HACCP or ISO 22000 behind it leads to costly non-conformities. The foundation prepares the GFSI and makes it attainable.

The organic and quality thread

This foundation coexists with organic and the COA without replacing them. Organic (EU 2018/848, Ecocert) certifies the production method; the COA proves the quality of the lot (acidity ≤ 0.80%, peroxide ≤ 20, polyphenols ≥ 250 mg/kg for the EFSA argument); HACCP / ISO 22000 / GLOBALG.A.P certify the control of the process and the upstream. A premium exporter stacks these layers coherently. See organic & Ecocert and certificates per lot/market.

Buyer side / seller side

Buyer side (importer, brand)	Seller side (exporter)
Verify that a supplier has at minimum a functional HACCP and, ideally, ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 — a sign of seriousness even before IFS/BRC. Ask for GLOBALG.A.P if the agricultural upstream matters to you.	Build the foundation early: HACCP, then ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000, then GLOBALG.A.P upstream. Only pay for IFS/BRC with a confirmed retail prospect. The foundation prepares the GFSI.
CTA: request a quote	CTA: train in export

FAQ — HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 & GLOBALG.A.P

What is HACCP for a mill?

It is a method for analysing and controlling hazards (biological, chemical, physical) across the whole process, from receiving the olives to packaging. It is a regulatory foundation for producing foodstuffs and a prerequisite for GFSI standards such as IFS or BRCGS.

What is the difference between ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000?

ISO 22000 is the food safety management standard. FSSC 22000 adds the technical prerequisite programs (ISO/TS 22002-x) and a GFSI recognition — which makes it acceptable where ISO 22000 alone is not enough for mass retail.

Where to start: ISO 22000 or IFS?

With ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000, the management foundation, cheaper and the natural base for everything else. IFS or BRCGS only come next, only when a mass retail prospect is confirmed. Do not pay for these GFSI audits speculatively.

How much does ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 cost?

From around €3,000 for the initial certification, with a timeline of 6 to 12 months of implementation. The cost varies according to site size and the body (Bureau Veritas, INNORPI, DQS…).

What is GLOBALG.A.P for olive oil?

It certifies good agricultural practices upstream — at the grove: inputs, safety, traceability, environment. It complements HACCP and ISO 22000, which cover processing, and strengthens the credibility of the complete chain grove → mill → container.

Is HACCP mandatory?

Fundamentally, hazard control is a regulatory requirement to produce foodstuffs; HACCP is its methodological translation and the prerequisite of GFSI standards. It is the foundation to have in place before any channel certification.

Does this foundation replace IFS or BRCGS?

No. HACCP, ISO 22000 and GLOBALG.A.P prepare IFS/BRC without replacing it. Mass retail and PL specifically require IFS Food or BRCGS. The foundation makes these audits attainable and avoids costly non-conformities. See IFS/BRC.

Is FSSC 22000 enough for mass retail?

FSSC 22000 is GFSI-recognised, which makes it a good foundation, but many retailers and PL explicitly require IFS Food or BRCGS. Check the retailer's precise requirement: GFSI recognition facilitates, but does not guarantee, acceptance of an equivalent standard.

Is this foundation linked to organic or the COA?

They are complementary. Organic certifies the production method, the COA the quality of the lot, and HACCP / ISO 22000 / GLOBALG.A.P the control of the process and the upstream. A premium exporter stacks these layers without confusion. See organic & Ecocert.

Who delivers these certifications in Tunisia?

ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000 by bodies such as INNORPI, Bureau Veritas or DQS; HACCP is integrated into the quality approach audited by these same bodies; GLOBALG.A.P by an accredited certification body for the standard. The audit is carried out on site.

In what order should all these certifications be pursued?

First the regulatory foundation (ONH approval, COA per lot, HACCP), then the management foundation (ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000, GLOBALG.A.P upstream), finally the channel certifications (IFS/BRC) only with a committed mass retail customer. Do not pay for anything too early or speculatively.

Build the right foundation, in the right order

HACCP, ISO 22000, GLOBALG.A.P: the food safety foundation gives credibility to the supplier and prepares IFS/BRC. Determine what you need, without paying too early.

Certifications assistant — market × channel → recommended foundation and order of obtainment, with real costs and timelines.

Request a quote — we tell you the food safety foundation our oil already carries for your market.

Lead magnet: download our guide to the food safety foundation (HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, GLOBALG.A.P, order before IFS/BRC).