Buyer’s guide
Food-Safe Cardboard Packaging: What FSSC 22000 Means for Your Boxes
Published 27 October 2026 by Timepack
Whether cardboard packaging is safe for food depends on the board, the inks and how the packaging is made and stored, and the practical way a buyer checks that is the supplier’s food safety certification. FSSC 22000 is a certification scheme recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) under which a packaging manufacturer’s food safety management is audited by a certification body. This guide explains what it covers, how to check a certificate and what to ask before ordering pizza boxes or other food packaging.
What FSSC 22000 is
FSSC 22000 is a food safety management certification scheme run by Foundation FSSC. It is built on ISO 22000 together with sector-specific prerequisite programmes from the ISO 22002 series, and it is recognised by GFSI, which is why retailers and franchise groups accept it in their supplier audits. A certificate is issued after an audit by a certification body, names the site and the scope it covers, and carries an expiry date.
How to check a supplier’s certificate
Five checks, all of which take minutes:
- Ask the supplier for a copy of the certificate.
- Check that the company name and site address on it match the company you are buying from.
- Read the scope: it should cover the manufacture of the packaging you are buying.
- Check the expiry date.
- Search the company on the FSSC public register, which lists organisations currently certified under FSSC 22000.
What to ask before ordering food packaging
Certification covers the supplier’s system. These questions cover your product, and the answers differ from one job to the next:
- Will the food touch the board directly, or will it be wrapped or bagged?
- Which inks are printed on surfaces that touch the food?
- Can you supply the certificate for our audit file?
- Can we have a sample to test with the product, hot or cold, before production?
Food packaging from Timepack
Timepack’s FSSC 22000 certificate (version 6, certificate No. FS-12397/26, COID ZAF-1-8840-085920) was issued by the certification body QSCert for the manufacturing of corrugated board products for use in the food industry, and is valid to 25 September 2027. It lists ISO 22000:2018 and ISO/TS 22002-4:2013, the prerequisite programme for food packaging manufacturing. A copy is linked below and can be supplied for your audit file.
Plain pizza boxes are held in stock in 10″ and 12″, in kraft or white, and sold from one bundle of 50, while printed pizza boxes and other food packaging are made to order and printed in up to four colours. A physical sample can be supplied before production.
Frequently asked questions
Is cardboard packaging food safe?
It can be, depending on the board, the inks and how it is made and stored. For food-contact packaging, ask for the supplier’s food safety certification, such as FSSC 22000, and for a sample to test with your product.
What does FSSC 22000 mean for packaging?
That the packaging manufacturer’s food safety management has been audited by a certification body against the FSSC 22000 scheme, which is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
How do I check if a supplier is FSSC 22000 certified?
Ask for the certificate, check the company name, site, scope and expiry date on it, and search the company on the FSSC public register at fssc.com, which lists organisations currently certified.
Is Timepack FSSC 22000 certified?
Yes. Timepack’s FSSC 22000 certificate (version 6, certificate No. FS-12397/26, COID ZAF-1-8840-085920) was issued by the certification body QSCert for the manufacturing of corrugated board products for use in the food industry, and is valid to 25 September 2027. A copy is available for your audit file, and the COID can be checked on the FSSC public register.
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