The requirement that applies today
The fourth and fifth Codex steps draw the process and then check it on site. The current edition maps them to the flow diagram and process description clause, which requires the sequence of steps, the outsourced processes, the entry points for materials and utilities, the rework and recycling points, and the release points, followed by on-site confirmation.
ISO/DIS 22000:2026, Annex A 4, Codex steps 4 and 5: construct and confirm the flow diagram.
What the draft does
Mapped in the current Annex A to 8.5.1.5; the 2026 table is sold by ISO and not held here: The 2026 contents keep 8.5.1.5 at the same number and title. The destination is read from the current table and that title, not from the published 2026 Annex A.
Source: public contents and foreword at A.4, retrieved 2026-10-19.
Why this clause matters
The on-site confirmation is the step that catches the difference between the process as designed and the process as run. A diagram that misses a rework loop or a seasonal variation produces a hazard analysis with a hole in it. The 2026 contents keep the clause, so the step remains anchored.
Suggested evidence to discuss with your auditor
For A.4, these are the artefacts we suggest discussing with your auditor. The standard publishes no evidence list, so this is our reading, not a requirement.
- A current diagram for each product family
- The signed on-site confirmation, with the date and the people who walked the line
- Process parameters and existing controls recorded at each step
Where systems usually fall short
- A diagram drawn at a desk
- No record of the on-site check
How to prepare
Walk the line with the diagram at shift change, with an operator present. Mark every difference and update the diagram the same day.
Dates
Cross-references
Source
Annex A, A.4. Current edition: ISO 22000:2018. Draft: ISO/DIS 22000:2026. Retrieved 2026-10-19. The full DIS text for A.4 is sold by ISO and not held here; the sources page lists what is.
Not legal advice; does not certify; our words, not the standard's, and the planning date is an estimate.