What is nsf

What We Do. The NSF mark is your assurance that a product has been tested by a trusted independent certification organization. It is valued by consumers, manufacturers, retailers and regulatory agencies worldwide. News and Events. The development process of an NSF Standard serves as a neutral medium in which industry, official regulatory agencies including the EPA and state health departments , and product end users come together to address issues involving products with end uses that impact public health and the environment.

NSF International was conceived and is administered as a public service organization. The NSF website contains a page that categorizes all of the standards and the products that these cover. You can search the NSF Listings to see which companies and products meet those standards. Directly from their website :. Choosing a product that is certified by NSF lets you know that the product complies with stringent public health standards and NSF certification policies.

Most importantly, NSF certification is not a one-time event, but involves regular on-site inspections of manufacturing facilities and regular re-testing of products on a routine basis to ensure that they continue to meet the same high standards required to maintain certification over time.

If, for any reason, a product fails to meet one or more of the certification criteria, NSF may take enforcement actions including product hold, product recall, public notification, or de-certification. This rigorous certification process holds companies accountable in all aspects of their manufacturing. They exist to ensure that standards development processes and certification programs are of high quality.

Unlike government-run agencies, the NSF is not politically motivated; the standards they set are their own. In many cases, NSF standards are so trusted that health codes accept them, or even defer to them. In fact, the way NSF standards are created is through a process involving industry experts, health departments and other interested parties that are a part of an NSF Joint Committee. Joint committees meet periodically, and they vote on the language and content of the standards that NSF writes.

Competitors sit together in a room, and all voices can be heard. The NSF is a third-party organization not affiliated with any industry or company. With a staff of professionals across the world, including engineers, toxicologists, microbiologists, chemists and health experts, and global laboratories, NSF International is a reliable and competent body for conducting product testing and issuing safety standards for food service equipment and more.

Aside from approval for a set of stringent food safety and public health standards, the NSF also offers risk management, consulting, training and education. If successful, a company can achieve an NSF certified mark, which they can use in their product advertising.

When analyzing products and equipment to determine whether they meet NSF Standards, the following items must be considered:. Simply put, having NSF certified products means that a company has undergone tests and met specific guidelines for food safety.