When you evaluate a food-ingredient supplier, certifications are the fastest way to gauge whether quality is systematic or improvised. For tapioca starch, the strongest single signal is FSSC 22000. Here’s what it means.
What FSSC 22000 is
FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification 22000) is a complete food-safety management certification scheme. It is built on three parts:
- ISO 22000 — the international standard for food-safety management systems,
- sector-specific prerequisite programmes (for starch, ISO/TS 22002-1, covering manufacturing hygiene), and
- additional FSSC requirements (food fraud prevention, food defence, and more).
Crucially, FSSC 22000 is recognised by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) — the benchmark that major food manufacturers and retailers require of their suppliers. That recognition is why FSSC 22000 carries more weight than a standalone HACCP or ISO 22000 certificate alone.
Why it matters when buying starch
A supplier certified to FSSC 22000 is committing to:
- a documented food-safety management system, audited by an independent body;
- hazard analysis (HACCP principles) applied to every step from intake to packing;
- traceability, so any lot can be traced and, if needed, recalled;
- continual third-party surveillance audits, not a one-time check.
In practice this means the Certificate of Analysis you receive is backed by a real system, and that your own customers and auditors will accept the supplier more readily.
How TQ Industry Starch is certified
TQ Industry Starch holds FSSC 22000 (audited by SGS, UKAS-accredited) alongside ISO 22000:2018, HACCP, GHP, and Halal — the full list is on the certifications page. Our native tapioca starch is produced and packed under this certified system, and full certificates are available to qualified buyers on request.
Sourcing for a food application? Send us your requirement — we’ll share the relevant certificates and a sample. You may also find our guide to sourcing tapioca starch from Thailand useful.