How do you get ISO 22000 certification for a cold storage facility?

Run a gap analysis against ISO 22000:2018, define the FSMS scope covering every chilled and frozen chamber, build prerequisite programmes, complete a HACCP study where storage temperature is the critical control point, map and validate each chamber, operate the system for at least three months with internal audit and management review, then pass the Stage 1 documentation audit and the Stage 2 on-site audit with an accredited certification body.

How long does ISO 22000 certification take for a cold store?

Typically 6–12 months from gap analysis to certificate. A facility already operating to HACCP with reliable monitoring records can reach Stage 2 in about 4–8 months; a new-build cold store usually needs longer because auditors expect roughly three months of live monitoring data after commissioning.

How much does ISO 22000 certification cost?

The certification-body audit alone is roughly USD 4,000–7,000 for a small single-chamber store, 7,000–12,000 for a mid-size site and 12,000–25,000 for a large multi-chamber facility, plus annual surveillance audits. Including consultancy, temperature mapping, sensors and calibration, most cold stores budget USD 15,000–60,000 for first certification.

Is ISO 22000 mandatory for cold storage?

It is not a legal requirement in most countries — national food hygiene law and HACCP are. It becomes commercially mandatory when retailers, exporters, pharmaceutical clients or tender documents require a certified food safety management system.

What temperature evidence does an ISO 22000 auditor ask for?

A temperature-mapping report per chamber in loaded and empty states, continuous monitoring records with alarm set-points and escalation times, calibration certificates for all probes and loggers, an excursion log with product-disposition decisions, and proof that refrigeration maintenance and defrost cycles ran as planned.

Should a cold store choose ISO 22000 or BRCGS Storage & Distribution?

Choose by customer requirement. Retail buyers frequently name BRCGS, which is prescriptive and graded; industrial, export and tender clients usually accept ISO 22000, which is a management-system standard you build around your own prerequisite programmes. Many cold stores eventually hold both and run one combined document set.

Can ISO 22000 requirements be built into a cold storage RFQ?

Yes, and it is the cheapest point to do it. Naming the target standard, temperature regimes, monitoring architecture, mapping and validation deliverables in the RFQ means quotes include instrumentation, calibration and documentation instead of adding them as post-award variations.

Does ISO 22000 apply to refrigerated transport as well as storage?

Yes, if transport is inside your declared scope. The hazard analysis then has to cover pre-cooling of the vehicle, loading and unloading exposure, in-transit monitoring and the handover records between the store and the carrier.

ISO 22000:2018 · Cold storage

ISO 22000 certification for cold storage: steps, timeline and cost

The practical route from gap analysis to certificate for a chilled or frozen facility — what each stage takes, what the audit costs, and the temperature evidence that decides Stage 2.

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The seven-stage certification path

Durations assume a facility already running basic HACCP. A new build should add the commissioning period, because auditors want live monitoring records from a loaded, operating chamber.

01Gap analysis against ISO 22000:20182–4 weeks
Compare current practice with clauses 4–10 and ISO/TS 22002-1. For a cold store the usual gaps are an undefined FSMS scope, missing temperature mapping and no documented refrigeration-failure contingency.
02Define FSMS scope and food safety team1–2 weeks
State every site, chamber and temperature regime (chilled, frozen, deep-frozen) that will appear on the certificate, and appoint a team that includes QA plus refrigeration/maintenance.
03Build prerequisite programmes (PRPs)4–8 weeks
Panel and floor integrity, drainage and condensate control, evaporator hygiene, pest control at dock doors, dock-seal condition, cleaning schedules and personnel hygiene — each with a record trail.
04HACCP study with temperature as the CCP3–5 weeks
Set critical limits per product group, monitoring frequency, alarm set-points, escalation list and product-disposition rules for excursions. Validate the limits against product shelf-life evidence.
05Temperature mapping and calibration2–4 weeks
Map each chamber loaded and empty, in warm and cool season conditions, place fixed sensors at the worst-case points found, and calibrate every probe, logger and reference thermometer.
06Run the system, internal audit, management review3–4 months
Auditors expect at least three months of live monitoring records, one completed internal audit cycle, a traceability test or mock recall, and a management review that discusses excursion trends.
07Stage 1 and Stage 2 certification audits4–8 weeks
Stage 1 is a documentation readiness review; Stage 2 is the on-site audit. Non-conformities are closed with root-cause evidence before the certificate is issued, then surveillance audits follow annually.

What ISO 22000 certification costs (USD)

Indicative planning ranges seen on cold-chain projects. Small = single chamber under ~500 m³; mid = multi-chamber site; large = multi-site or high-throughput distribution centre. Certification-body fees vary by country and accreditation.

Cost item	Small store	Mid-size site	Large / multi-site
Certification body audit (Stage 1 + 2)	$4,000 – $7,000	$7,000 – $12,000	$12,000 – $25,000
Annual surveillance audit	$1,500 – $3,000	$3,000 – $5,000	$5,000 – $10,000
Consultancy / documentation support	$4,000 – $9,000	$9,000 – $20,000	$20,000 – $45,000
Temperature mapping & validation	$2,000 – $5,000	$5,000 – $12,000	$12,000 – $30,000
Monitoring, sensors & calibration	$3,000 – $8,000	$8,000 – $25,000	$25,000 – $80,000

Planning ranges only — confirm audit fees with an accredited certification body in your market.

Evidence pack for the Stage 2 audit

FSMS scope, food safety policy and org chart covering every chilled and frozen area
HACCP study with validated critical limits for each temperature regime
Temperature mapping report per chamber — loaded and empty, warm and cool season
Continuous monitoring records with alarm set-points and escalation response times
Calibration certificates for probes, loggers and reference thermometers
Excursion log with product-disposition decisions and corrective actions
Refrigeration preventive maintenance plan, defrost schedule and breakdown log
Documented power- and refrigeration-failure contingency plan with standby capacity
Supplier and 3PL approval files, including reefer transport temperature evidence
Traceability test or mock recall completed within the last 12 months

Gaps that fail cold stores at audit

Scope written too loosely

A certificate that says 'storage of food products' without naming temperature regimes and chambers creates non-conformities at Stage 1. Name each regime and each site.

No seasonal temperature mapping

Mapping done once in mild conditions is the most common Stage 2 finding. Repeat loaded, in the warmest period, and place fixed sensors where mapping found the warm spots.

Contingency plan on paper only

Auditors ask for evidence the standby generator or backup plant was tested and that staff know the product-disposition rule during a prolonged excursion.

Refrigeration handover data missing

For a new build, commissioning data, pull-down curves and mapping support belong in the RFQ so they arrive with the plant instead of being priced later as variations.

ISO 22000 cold storage FAQ

Specifying a certifiable cold store?

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