Why Updating PRPs Is a Smart Starting Point

If your company is preparing for Ftran, one of the most practical things you can do right now is review your Prerequisite Programs (PRPs).

PRPs are the foundation of every food safety management system. They cover the everyday practices — cleaning, pest control, maintenance, personnel hygiene — that keep contamination risks under control.

I’ve seen companies spend weeks updating procedures only to realize their PRPs didn’t reflect what was actually happening on the floor. With V6, that disconnect can easily lead to a non-conformity.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what changed, how to update your PRPs efficiently, and how to make them audit-ready without rewriting your entire system.

Why PRPs Matter More Than Ever in FSSC 22000 V6

PRPs have always been the backbone of FSSC 22000, but Version 6 puts stronger emphasis on how they’re implemented, monitored, and validated.

Think of PRPs as the “preventive layer” under your HACCP plan. They ensure your facility, equipment, and people operate in a clean, controlled environment.

Here’s what I’ve noticed working with clients: when PRPs are weak, everything else — from hazard analysis to product release — suffers.

Pro Tip: Before you touch a single document, confirm which ISO/TS 22002 standard applies to your scope:

• 22002-1 for food manufacturing
• 22002-4 for packaging
• 22002-5 for storage and transport
• PAS 221 for retail

Each one has slightly different expectations, and Version 6 aligns them more tightly with operational performance.

Common Mistake: Treating PRPs as “template SOPs.” They should reflect your site, your processes, and your real controls — not generic language copied from a standard.

What Changed in PRP Requirements Under V6

While the structure of the PRPs hasn’t changed dramatically, several key areas have been expanded or clarified. Here’s a quick breakdown:

PRP Area	V5.1 Expectation	V6 Update
Environmental Monitoring	Optional	Now mandatory with documented EMP
Allergen Control	Policy-level requirement	Requires cleaning validation & verification
Pest Management	Record keeping only	Trending & root-cause analysis added
Maintenance	Basic	Preventive maintenance plan required
Personnel Hygiene	General expectations	Includes visitor & contractor hygiene rules

These aren’t cosmetic updates. They close long-standing gaps auditors kept finding in earlier versions.

Example: A bakery client I supported realized their allergen procedure didn’t include test-swab verification after cleaning. That single missing step could have triggered a major finding under V6.

Pro Tip: Cross-check your PRP records for verification steps — auditors will look for evidence that your controls actually work, not just that they’re documented.

How to Review and Update Your PRPs Efficiently

Updating PRPs isn’t about rewriting everything. It’s about aligning what’s on paper with what’s happening day to day. Here’s how I suggest approaching it:

1. List your existing PRPs — cleaning, pest control, maintenance, personnel hygiene, etc.
2. Compare each one with the relevant FSSC 22000 V6 and ISO/TS 22002 clauses.
3. Identify gaps — missing records, unclear monitoring, or weak validation steps.
4. Revise procedures to include purpose, frequency, responsibility, and verification method.
5. Train your team — especially supervisors responsible for implementation.

Pro Tip: Use a color-coded checklist:

• ✅ Green = compliant
• 🟡 Yellow = needs partial update
• 🔴 Red = missing or outdated

This gives you a visual overview and helps prioritize your actions.

Common Mistake: Teams often update the cleaning schedule but forget to revise the chemical-approval or post-clean validation procedure that supports it.

Linking PRP Updates to the Food Safety Management System

Every PRP connects to something bigger — your HACCP plan, internal audit program, and management review.

Here’s how they fit together:

• HACCP: Updated PRPs affect hazard identification and control verification.
• Internal Audits: Ensure PRP monitoring and records are included in your audit checklist.
• Management Review: Discuss PRP effectiveness and trend results, especially EMP or pest data.

Pro Tip: When you update PRPs, review your flow diagrams too. If your process changed, your hazard points likely did as well.

Common Mistake: Failing to align updated PRPs with document control procedures. Auditors often find mismatched versions or uncontrolled copies on the floor.

Verification, Validation, and Recordkeeping

In V6, it’s not enough to say you’re doing something — you need proof it works.

• Verification checks if you followed the plan. (e.g., signing a cleaning record)
• Validation proves the plan is effective. (e.g., swab results showing zero residue)

Your PRPs should include both. Auditors will expect to see records that link back to validation evidence.

Also, start trending your EMP results, pest-control data, and hygiene audits. Seeing progress — not just isolated results — is part of the “continuous improvement” mindset behind FSSC 22000 V6.

Pro Tip: Keep at least 12 months of verification records ready before your transition audit.

Going Digital: Managing PRPs the Smart Way

If you’re still managing PRPs in binders and spreadsheets, now’s the time to upgrade.

Digital systems — even a basic QMS software — make PRP management easier to track and prove during audits. They can:

• Send automatic reminders for sanitation, pest control, or calibration.
• Store photos and records for each task.
• Keep version control consistent across multiple sites.

Example: One of my clients in food logistics moved their pest-control records into a cloud dashboard. During the audit, the auditor viewed six months of data trends instantly — zero paper, zero stress.

FAQs

Q1. Do I need to rewrite all PRPs for FSSC 22000 V6?
Not at all. Most will only need revisions where requirements changed — like EMP, allergen control, and maintenance validation.

Q2. Which PRP standard applies to my operation?
It depends on your scope:

• ISO/TS 22002-1 for food manufacturing
• ISO/TS 22002-4 for packaging
• ISO/TS 22002-5 for storage & transport
• PAS 221 for retail

Q3. What will auditors expect to see?
They’ll want to see documented procedures, records of monitoring, and evidence of validation — not just generic forms.

Conclusion: Strengthen the Basics, Simplify the Transition

Updating PRPs for FSSC 22000 V6 is about reinforcing the fundamentals — hygiene, maintenance, pest control, allergen management — with better documentation and proof.

I’ve guided dozens of companies through these updates, and the pattern is always the same: the ones who treat PRPs as a living system, not a checklist, get through the transition cleanly and confidently.

If you’re ready to update your PRPs efficiently, download QSE Academy’s PRP Update Checklist or book a short consultation to review your documentation before your transition audit.