Reviewed 3 August 2026
Short answer: GMP, ISO 22000 and HACCP are not three interchangeable badges. GMP concerns consistent manufacturing controls; ISO 22000 is a food-safety management-system standard; HACCP is a structured method for identifying and controlling food-safety hazards. None proves that a supplement is effective, and the value of any certificate depends on its scope, issuer and current validity.
What each standard actually means
| Term | What it addresses | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| GMP | Documented controls for repeatable manufacturing, hygiene, records, training, deviations and traceability | One universal certification scheme, medicine-grade status or clinical effectiveness |
| ISO 22000 | A food-safety management system for organisations in the food chain | That ISO itself certified the company or that every product benefit was tested |
| HACCP | Hazard analysis, critical controls, monitoring and corrective action | A single worldwide product-certification mark |
| Informed Sport | Product certification with finished-batch testing for substances prohibited in sport | That every supplement made at the facility is certified |
| Informed Manufacturer | Quality-assurance controls aimed at reducing banned-substance contamination risk at a manufacturing site | Finished-product Informed Sport certification or every-batch testing |
What does GMP mean on a supplement?
GMP means good manufacturing practice, but the initials alone are incomplete. Ask which GMP standard or scheme applies, who audited it, which site is covered and whether the certificate is current. Food-supplement GMP should not be presented as medicinal-product GMP unless that is genuinely the scope.
GMP supports consistency and control. It does not independently prove that the stated ingredient amount is present in every finished batch unless the specification and testing programme establish that, and it does not prove a health benefit.
What does ISO 22000 certification mean?
ISO 22000:2018 specifies requirements for a food-safety management system. ISO develops the standard but does not certify companies or issue certificates. Certification, where chosen, is carried out by an external certification body. A stronger disclosure names the certification body and lets the reader verify the certificate and scope.
Accreditation is another layer: it concerns the competence of the certification body. “ISO certified” without the standard number, certifier, site and scope is not enough detail to compare two manufacturers.
Is HACCP a certification?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. It is a method used within food-safety management to identify hazards, determine controls, monitor them, record results and act when limits are missed. UK food-hygiene rules require food businesses to maintain procedures based on HACCP principles, with proportionate approaches for different businesses.
A company may undergo an audit or certification against a scheme that includes HACCP, but “HACCP certified” is not one universal certificate. Ask what was audited and by whom.
What about organic, vegan, Halal and Kosher marks?
These can be valuable, but each answers a defined question. Organic certification concerns production and handling rules. Vegan, Halal and Kosher certifications concern their own ingredient and process criteria. None on its own proves potency, contaminant absence, sports suitability or clinical effectiveness.
What should athletes look for?
A facility-level programme and a finished-product programme are different. Informed Sport states that every batch of a certified product is tested before release and can be checked by batch number. Informed Manufacturer concerns manufacturing-site controls intended to reduce banned-substance contamination risk. A product made at an Informed Manufacturer site is not automatically an Informed Sport-certified product.
Does “pharmaceutical grade” mean anything?
For an ordinary UK food supplement, the phrase is not a substitute for a named, verifiable specification. Ask what published standard, monograph or analytical limits “grade” refers to. A food supplement does not become a licensed medicine because the marketing uses medical-looking language.
Seven checks before trusting a certification claim
- Exact name: which standard and edition?
- Certificate holder: brand, manufacturer, laboratory or ingredient supplier?
- Scope: site, process, ingredient, finished product or individual batch?
- Issuer: who audited or certified it?
- Accreditation: is the certifier appropriately accredited where relevant?
- Validity: is the certificate current, and can it be verified?
- What remains unproven: dose accuracy, contaminants, banned substances and efficacy may require separate evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Is UK-made automatically higher quality?
No. Country of manufacture is useful traceability information, not a substitute for specifications, controls and evidence.
Does GMP mean every batch is laboratory tested?
Not necessarily. The applicable scheme, risk assessment and finished-product release specification determine what testing is performed.
Is ISO 22000 better than HACCP?
They are not simple rivals. ISO 22000 incorporates food-safety management requirements and HACCP principles within a broader management-system framework.
Sources and method
This guide distinguishes standards, certification, accreditation, site scope and product testing. Sources checked on 3 August 2026 include the official ISO 22000:2018 page, ISO’s explanation that ISO does not perform certification, the Food Standards Agency’s MyHACCP guidance, and the official Informed Sport certification process.
Related reading: our quality and safety standards, how to choose a supplement and how to read a supplement label.
Certification language should be checked against the current certificate and its precise scope. This article is consumer guidance, not a certification audit or legal opinion.
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