The PAS 223 Standard

The PAS 223 Standard

PAS 223 sets out design requirements and food-safety prerequisite programmes for the manufacture and supply of food packaging. Food packaging that is unsuitable for the intended use, inadequate, or poorly designed creates potential food-safety risks. PAS 223 addresses these risks at the root: packaging design and the operational environment in which packaging is produced.

The standard is directed both at food-packaging manufacturing operators and at food-safety-relevant global standards that set requirements for prerequisite programmes (PRPs) in packaging.

At Sistem Patent Kalite, we provide certification support for PAS 223 Food Packaging Safety, published on 1 July 2011. Our specialists work with your internal team to help meet the requirements set out in the specification.

What the Standard Covers

PAS 223 covers site standards, equipment design and maintenance, utilities, waste management, cleaning and sanitation, pest control, personnel, and product recall. For packaging producers, the PRPs in PAS 223 document the baseline operating discipline expected by food-sector customers.

Design Requirements

Design requirements in PAS 223 include materials selection, migration control, compatibility with the food product, integrity during transport, and traceability. Following PAS 223 at the design stage reduces the risk of a recall driven by packaging defect.

Certification

Packaging operators seeking GFSI-recognised certification typically combine PAS 223 with ISO 22000 under the FSSC 22000 scheme. Sistem Patent Kalite scopes the combined path for operators that want a single certification project.