FSSC 22000 certification in Türkiye

FSSC 22000 certification in Türkiye at a glance

When a multinational food brand publishes its approved certification schemes, FSSC 22000 is usually among them, and that is the practical reason Turkish processors and exporters ask about it. It is a private scheme, not a legal duty: the legal floor is the Food Hygiene Regulation, issued under Law No. 5996, which already requires procedures based on the HACCP principles after primary production. FSSC 22000 is the scheme owner's ISO-aligned food safety scheme, and it holds recognition from the Global Food Safety Initiative. Global ACI shows TÜRKAK as recognised for the scheme since 2021, though the certification body must also be authorised by the scheme owner. Sterling's Dubai office helps sites close the gap between an existing food safety system and the scheme, on-site or remotely, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included with the engagement.

Who needs FSSC 22000 in Türkiye, and what happens without it

In Türkiye the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.

• Food manufacturers supplying multinational brands and retailersLarge food customers publish approved-scheme lists, and the scheme holds GFSI recognition, which many of them look for.
• Processors that already hold ISO 22000The step up adds scheme requirements to an existing food safety system.
• Exporters of packaged and processed foodExport customers ask for a benchmarked scheme beyond the legal HACCP floor.
• Ingredient and additive suppliersCustomers audit suppliers upstream and ask for certification to the same scheme.

FSSC 22000 requirements in Türkiye

Strip away the vocabulary and FSSC 22000 asks a company to prove six things about food safety to the level global buyers expect.

In Türkiye these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: FSSC 22000 explained →

• FSSC 22000 requirements, clause by clause in plain language

How to get FSSC 22000 certified in Türkiye

One team from the Dubai office carries the work from scoping to certificate. Clients across Türkiye are served from Sterling's Dubai office, on-site where the work needs it and remotely otherwise.

1. Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
2. Gap assessment against FSSC 22000 and the Turkish requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
3. Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
4. Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before the certification body arrives.
5. Certification body stage 1 and stage 2, then surveillanceAn accredited body audits and decides. Sterling supports the audits and the three-year cycle.

The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.

• The FSSC 22000 certification process, step by step

How long does FSSC 22000 certification take in Türkiye?

There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In Türkiye these are the factors that set the timeline.

• Prerequisite programme and food defence and fraud assessments to build
• ISO 22000 foundations still to lay
• Number of sites, categories and lines in scope
• Scheduling of audits around production seasons and holidays

Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.

• Scope and timeline estimator

How much does FSSC 22000 certification cost in Türkiye?

The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the certification body’s audit fees, which are quoted separately. In Türkiye these factors move both.

• Number of sites, food categories and production lines
• Upgrades to facilities and monitoring equipment
• Certification body audit fees under the scheme, quoted separately
• Internal auditor and food defence training

Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.

• What makes up the cost of FSSC 22000

FSSC 22000 consultants and certification bodies in Türkiye

Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; an accredited certification body then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.

• Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers FSSC 22000 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
• Ask the consultant how the local requirements in Türkiye are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
• Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
• Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.

FSSC 22000 in Türkiye: questions clients ask

More on FSSC 22000 for Turkish organisations

• FSSC 22000: the complete guide
• Watch: How to implement FSSC 22000
• FSSC 22000 certification in Türkiye and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards Turkish businesses ask Sterling for

Organisations in Türkiye often combine FSSC 22000 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in Türkiye →