NSF International
Encyclopedia
NSF International is an Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
-based not-for-profit public health and environmental organization that provides standards development, product certification, auditing, education and risk management services.
History
NSF International was founded in 1944 from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's School of Public Health as the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to standardize sanitation and food safety
Food safety
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards....
requirements. The transparent, consensus-based process established to develop NSF International's first standards regarding the sanitation of soda fountain and luncheonette equipment, became the process by which NSF International developed other public health and safety standards. To date, NSF has developed more than 77 public health and safety American National Standards. As NSF expanded services beyond sanitation and into new international markets, the name was changed to NSF International in 1990.
NSF International is an accredited, third-party certification body that tests and certifies products to verify they meet these public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and safety standards. Products that meet these standards bear the NSF Mark.
NSF is a World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. NSF operates more than 165000 square feet (15,329 m²) of laboratory space and serves companies in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 1,200-plus staff includes microbiologists, toxicologists, chemists, engineers, environmental and public health professionals.
Mission
NSF International is dedicated to being the leading global provider of public healthPublic health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and safety-based risk management solutions while serving the interests of all stakeholders, namely the public, the business community and government agencies.
Programs
The NSF Food Safety Division includes NSF Foodservice Equipment certification; food safety and quality auditing and certification through NSF Agriculture, NSF Cook & Thurber and NSF-CMi; Global Food Safety Standards Certification (SQF, BRC, GlobalGAP, FSSC, IFS, Dutch HACCP); NSF Restaurant and Supermarket Food Safety programs; Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Certification Council (ACC), HACCP validation and inspection through NSF Surefish Seafood Safety; bottled water/flavored beverage quality certification; and organic and gluten-free certification through Quality Assurance International (QAI).The NSF Water Division certifies products that come into contact with drinking water, such as plumbing components, water treatment chemicals and drinking water filters, as well as pool and spa equipment. NSF developed the American National Standards for all materials and products that treat or come in contact with drinking water to help protect public health and the environment and minimize adverse health effects.
The NSF Health Sciences Division provides reference standards, certification, training, consulting, good manufacturing practice
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" or "GMP" are practices and the systems required to be adapted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control, quality system covering the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals or drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, diagnostics, foods,...
(GMP) and good laboratory practice
Good Laboratory Practice
In the experimental research arena, the phrase good laboratory practice or GLP specifically refers to a quality system of management controls for research laboratories and organizations to try to ensure the uniformity, consistency, reliability, reproducibility, quality, and integrity of chemical ...
(GLP) testing, R&D and auditing for the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement and medical device industries. It includes NSF Reference Standards, NSF Dietary Supplement Certification, NSF Pharmalytica and NSF-DBA.
The NSF Consumer Products Division tests and certifies consumer products and appliances used in and around the home including toys, dishwashers, washers and dryers, and kitchen products such as cookware, cutlery and cutting boards.
NSF Sustainability provides standards development and certification for sustainably produced products such as carpet, flooring, fabrics and other building materials; and process verification services such as greenhouse gas verification, environmental footprinting, and environmental management systems registrations.
NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR) provides management systems registrations to internationally accepted standards for quality assurance for the automotive, aerospace, medical, and manufacturing industries (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS9100
AS9100
AS9100 is a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry.It was released in October, 1999, by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the European Association of Aerospace Industries....
, etc.).
NSF Education and Training provides training and education for professionals in the food safety, water, health sciences, consumer product and management systems registrations industries.
Laboratories
NSF maintains laboratories throughout the U.S., Europe and China. NSF's laboratories are accredited by the Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationOccupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
and the Standards Council of Canada
Standards Council of Canada
- About the SCC :The Standards Council of Canada is a federal Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective voluntary standardization. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, the Standards Council has a 15-member governing Council and a staff of approximately 90...
. NSF laboratories are ISO 17025 certified (testing and calibration), and provide a wide range of testing, certification and technical services for the home appliances and consumer product industries (e.g. toy, beverage quality, food service equipment, nutritional supplement, drinking water treatment units, and automotive aftermarket parts); retail food, growers, processors and seafood industries; pipes, plumbing components and treatment chemicals for the water industry; and analytical testing for the supplement and pharmaceutical industry.
Standard Development
NSF Standards are developed, maintained, and revised by the committee ballot system, similar to that used by American National Standards InstituteAmerican National Standards Institute
The American National Standards Institute is a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international...
(ANSI) and ASTM
ASTM International
ASTM International, known until 2001 as the American Society for Testing and Materials , is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services...
. The committees consist of equal numbers of representatives of groups affected by the scope of the standard. For instance, for Standard 61, Drinking Water Systems Components - Health Effects, the committee is made of manufacturers of plumbing parts, material manufacturers (plastics, metals, etc.), toxicologists, state regulatory officials, and the like. Any changes related to testing requirements are vetted through lab testing, and balloting ensures majority rule.