Food Equipment Certification and Registration Programs
NSF Sanitation Certification for North America
Food equipment manufacturers exporting to the U.S. and Canada will find that customers and public health authorities ask for the NSF certification.
Certification to the NSF sanitation standards demonstrates that commercial food equipment complies with the requirements of the U.S. FDA Food Code. Compliance with the FDA Food Code is verified by public health inspectors in the United States. In Canada, similar requirements apply. NSF certification assures coast-to-coast regulatory acceptance in North America.
NSF standards cover commercial food equipment and components, parts and materials used in their construction. Examples are coffee machines and drinks machines, mixers, juicers, slicers, ovens, fryers, refrigerators, freezers, professional knives, serving ware and other equipment in professional kitchens, serving and storage areas. Certification requirements include:
- Materials review (against FDA requirements)
- Design and construction review (for food safety/cleanability)
- Performance testing related to food safety
- An audit of the manufacturing plant
Certified products bear the NSF mark and appear in NSF’s online searchable listings on www.nsf.org. This listing is used by buyers to select products and by public health officials to verify NSF certification.
Services
Local offices in various European countries support manufacturers in the entire EMEA region with:
- Certification to all NSF sanitation standards
- Pre-evaluation of food equipment
- Field labeling services for products already in the field
- Support during product development
- Food contact materials (FDA 21 CFR) review
Benefits
NSF experts have certified thousands of food equipment products for over 70 years. Their knowledge is unequalled and supports the development of products meeting the highest hygienic design requirements.
Dedicated, experienced account managers act as your one point of contact through the certification process and contribute to a streamlined time to market.
Your First Step
Feel free to contact us at any stage in your design process to learn more about certification requirements, the certification process and the costs. The regional manager for your country will get back to you as soon as possible.
HACCP Compliance Verification for Europe
HCV Europe is a voluntary registration program, developed by NSF, the market leader in commercial food equipment certification and registration. It verifies the food safety and hygienic design of commercial food equipment for the European market.
It enables:
- Manufacturers of food equipment and components to demonstrate equipment complies with relevant European guidelines and with the general principles of hygienic design
- Buyers for retail outlets and restaurant chains to select equipment that supports their HACCP plan and to be assured that food contact materials testing has taken place
Services
Offices in various European countries support manufacturers and specifiers in the European market with the following services:
- Testing and reviewing equipment to guidelines and legislation such as Framework Regulation EC 1935/2004 for food contact materials and EN1672-2 for hygienic design, as well as related legislation such as EU 10/2011 and the Italian MOCA requirements
- Testing to support the selection of food-safe equipment by specifiers such as quick service restaurants and retailers
Benefits
- The HCV mark and the product’s listing on www.nsf.org demonstrate a commitment to food safety and hygienic quality. It reassures customers that equipment is fit for a HACCP-controlled environment and meets food contact materials requirements.
- Testing and review results provide an independent third-party confirmation of the food contact materials’ compliance, and of the verification of HACCP-related aspects.
- Results of migration testing can support the equipment manufacturer’s Declaration of Compliance (DoC).
- The HCV mark provided by the industry leader in food equipment verification and certification strengthens the brand value.
Your First Step
Please contact us to learn more about the HCV EU program. The regional manager for your country will get back to you as soon as possible.