BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9

International (GFSI-benchmarked)

vIssue 9 (2022)

19 domains

24 controls

The BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards) Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 (2022) is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety certification standard for food manufacturers. Originally developed by the British Retail Consortium. Over 30,000 certified sites in 130+ countries. Covers senior management commitment, HACCP, food safety and quality management systems, site standards, product control, process control, and personnel. Grades: AA, A, B, C, D (unannounced option gives higher grade). Published and managed by BRCGS (LGC ASSURE).

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BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 is a compliance framework from International (GFSI-benchmarked) with 19 domains and 24 controls that map to 2 other frameworks. The largest domains are Food Safety Plan (3 controls), Contamination Control (2 controls), Management System (2 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.

Maintained by Gerard BlokdykControl text last updated 21 May 2026

Framework summaries on this platform are AI-assisted interpretations for educational and compliance planning purposes. They do not reproduce or replace the official standards. Refer to the authoritative source for the definitive text. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective organisations.

Framework Domains (19)

Allergens

1 controls

Controls in the Allergens domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-5.3	Allergen Management	Manage allergen risks across raw materials, production, cleaning, and labelling to prevent cross contamination.

Authenticity

1 controls

Controls in the Authenticity domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-5.4	Product Authenticity and Claims	Conduct vulnerability assessment for food fraud and verify claims such as organic, kosher, halal, and origin.

Contamination Control

2 controls

Controls in the Contamination Control domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 2 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-4.10	Foreign Body Detection	Operate validated foreign body detection equipment including metal detection, x ray, or other technology with documented...
BRCGS-4.9	Chemical and Physical Product Contamination Control	Control physical, chemical, and biological contamination risks including glass, hard plastic, wood, knives, lubricants,...

Crisis Management

1 controls

Controls in the Crisis Management domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-3.11	Product Recall and Withdrawal	Maintain documented product withdrawal and recall procedures tested at least annually with mock exercise.

Culture

1 controls

Controls in the Culture domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-1.2	Food Safety Culture Plan	Maintain a documented plan to develop and maintain a positive food safety and quality culture, with measurable activitie...

Food Defence

1 controls

Controls in the Food Defence domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-4.3	Security and Food Defence	Conduct a documented food defence threat assessment and implement controls preventing intentional contamination.

Food Safety Plan

3 controls

Controls in the Food Safety Plan domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 3 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-2.1	HACCP Team and Prerequisite Programmes	Establish a multidisciplinary HACCP team and document prerequisite programmes covering cleaning, pest control, maintenan...
BRCGS-2.2	Hazard Analysis	Conduct hazard analysis covering biological, chemical, physical, and allergen hazards for each product or product group.
BRCGS-2.3	Critical Control Points	Identify CCPs with validated critical limits, monitoring procedures, and corrective actions for each.

Hygiene

1 controls

Controls in the Hygiene domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-4.11	Housekeeping and Hygiene	Implement cleaning schedules with validated cleaning instructions and verified effectiveness through environmental monit...

Management System

2 controls

Controls in the Management System domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 2 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-3.1	Food Safety and Quality Manual	Maintain a fully documented food safety and quality management system available to relevant staff.
BRCGS-3.4	Internal Audits	Conduct a programme of internal audits covering all aspects of the standard at minimum frequency with trained auditors.

Measurement

1 controls

Controls in the Measurement domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-6.3	Calibration and Control of Measuring Devices	Calibrate measurement and monitoring equipment used to verify food safety against traceable standards.

Packaging

1 controls

Controls in the Packaging domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-5.5	Product Packaging	Ensure packaging is fit for purpose, food contact compliant, and meets product specification including migration testing...

Personnel

2 controls

Controls in the Personnel domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 2 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-7.1	Training	Train personnel on food safety, hygiene, allergens, and job specific tasks with documented competency.
BRCGS-7.2	Personal Hygiene	Implement personal hygiene standards including handwashing, protective clothing, jewellery restrictions, and medical scr...

Pest Control

1 controls

Controls in the Pest Control domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-4.13	Pest Management	Implement an effective pest management programme either in house or via a contractor with documented monitoring and tren...

Process Control

1 controls

Controls in the Process Control domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-6.1	Control of Operations	Document process specifications and operate within them with deviation procedures and product release controls.

Product Control

1 controls

Controls in the Product Control domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-5.1	Product Design and Development	Implement product development procedures including formulation, shelf life validation, and labelling verification.

Senior Management Commitment

1 controls

Controls in the Senior Management Commitment domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-1.1	Senior Management Commitment	Senior site management demonstrates commitment to the BRCGS standard, food safety culture, and continual improvement.

Site

1 controls

Controls in the Site domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-4.1	Site Standards and Layout	Site must be located, constructed, and maintained to prevent contamination and enable production of safe legal product.

Supplier

1 controls

Controls in the Supplier domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-3.5	Supplier Approval and Performance Monitoring	Approve suppliers of raw materials, packaging, and outsourced services based on risk assessment and ongoing performance...

Traceability

1 controls

Controls in the Traceability domain of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 — 1 controls
Code	Title	Description
BRCGS-3.9	Traceability	Trace product one step forward and one step back, with traceability tests demonstrating recovery within four hours.

Maps to 2 other frameworks

24 total controls

ISO 22000:2018

2 source controls mapped|2 target controls covered

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 - General Requirements for Testing and Calibration

1 source controls mapped|1 target controls covered

Compare BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 with ISO 22000:2018

What is BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 and who does it apply to?

BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 is a compliance framework from International (GFSI-benchmarked) with 19 domains and 24 controls. The BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards) Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 (2022) is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety certification standard for food manufacturers. Originally developed by the British Retail Consortium. Over 30,000 certified sites in 130+ countries. Covers senior management commitment, HACCP, food safety and quality management systems, site standards, product control, process control, and personnel. Grades: AA, A, B, C, D (unannounced option gives higher grade). Published and managed by BRCGS (LGC ASSURE). It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

What does BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 actually require?

BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 has 24 controls organised across 19 domains. The largest domains are Food Safety Plan (3 controls), Contamination Control (2 controls), Management System (2 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.

If I already comply with another framework, how much of BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 do I already cover?

BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 maps to 2 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are ISO 22000:2018 (8% coverage), ISO/IEC 17025:2017 - General Requirements for Testing and Calibration (4% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.

How do I implement BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9?

Start your BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 9 requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 24 controls and track your progress.

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