Organization:National Sanitation Foundation
 NSF Certification Mark | |
 NSF International headquarters in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan | |
| Abbreviation | NSF |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1944 |
| Type | Testing, inspection, certification, training, and consulting |
| Legal status | Not-for-profit |
| Purpose | Improve and protect human health worldwide. |
| Headquarters | Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, United States |
| Pedro Sancha | |
Staff | 1,200 (2011) |
| Website | nsf.org |
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)[1] is a public health nonprofit organization[2] headquartered in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, United States.[3] It tests and certifies foods, water, and consumer products.[2] It also facilitates the development of standards for these products,[2] labeling products it has certified to meet these standards with the NSF mark.[4]
NSF is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada.[5]
History
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) was founded in 1944 by the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in an attempt to standardize requirements around sanitation and food safety.[2] The first standards developed by the NSF set sanitation requirements on soda fountain and luncheonette equipment.[2][clarification needed]
Certification
The NSF certifies food equipment, including food preparation and dispensing equipment, ice makers, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashing sinks, vending machines, mobile food carts, and service counters.[6] These certifications are widely recognized internationally.[6]
NSF's Food division also certifies the gluten-freeness and other similar characteristics of products, as well as certifying bottled water and packaged ice.[7]
The NSF also certifies dietary supplements through a standard it facilitated the development of adopted by ANSI (NSF/American National Standards Institute Standard 173), testing for safe levels of contaminants and that the ingredients on supplements match their labels.[2] As of 2002[update] it competed in this with the United States Pharmacopeia certification mark.[8]
The NSF also develops standards for and certifies water quality.[9] As of 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets limits on drinking water contaminants based on standards set by the NSF.[10]
The NSF Consumer Products Division tests and certifies consumer products and appliances used in and around the home.[11][12]
Laboratories
NSF maintains laboratories in North America,[13] South America,[14] Europe[13] and China.[13] NSF's laboratories are accredited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.[13] NSF laboratories are ISO 17025 certified (testing and calibration).[13]
The chairman of the Board of Directors, is the retired Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of the McDonald's Corporation.[15] And since March 2022, the President and chief executive officer is Pedro Sancha, formerly of Ecolab and Shell.[16]
References
- ↑ "Who Is NSF?" (in en). https://www.nsf.org/knowledge-library/who-is-nsf-international.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Travis, John; Lattimore, Lisa Glymph; Harvey, Michael; Frey, Thomas (2019-01-01), Bagchi, Debasis, ed., "Chapter 11 - NSF International's role in the dietary supplements and nutraceuticals industries", Nutraceutical and Functional Food Regulations in the United States and around the World (Third Edition) (Academic Press): pp. 147–158, ISBN 978-0-12-816467-9, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128164679000113, retrieved 2024-11-21. Written by employees of the National Sanitation Foundation.
- ↑ "NSF - World Headquarters" (in en). https://www.nsf.org/locations/north-america/nsf-international-world-headquarters.
- ↑ "NSF Mark". NSF International. https://www.nsf.org/about-nsf/nsf-mark.
- ↑ "NSF International". 2014-07-08. https://www.scc.ca/en/accreditation/sdo-accreditation/nsf-international.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bole, Dhruv Kishore. "Understanding NSF Certification and How it Can Benefit Food Equipment Manufacturers | Food Safety" (in en). https://www.food-safety.com/articles/7439-understanding-nsf-certification-and-how-it-can-benefit-food-equipment-manufacturers.
- ↑ International, NSF. "NSF's Food Services". https://www.nsf.org/testing/food/food-beverage-product-certification.
- ↑ Packer-Tursman, Judy (18 November 2002). "Certified, To a Point". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/2002/11/19/certified-to-a-point/bdaf1786-1e99-4645-813d-ece62ad9c280/.
- ↑ United States General Accounting Office (1991) (in en). Drinking Water: Inadequate Regulation of Home Treatment Units Leaves Consumers at Risk : Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives. United States General Accounting Office. https://books.google.com/books?id=4cYsAAAAIAAJ.
- ↑ Ajasa, Amudalat (20 November 2024). "This substitute for lead pipes could carry its own risks". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/11/20/lead-pipe-plastic-pvc-replacements-risks/.
- ↑ "NSF International Launches New NSF Home Product Certification Program". Grocery Headquarters. http://www.groceryheadquarters.com/2011/11/nsf-international-launches-new-nsf-home-product-certification-program/. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- ↑ "NSF Consumer Product Safety Division". NSF International. http://www.nsf.org/business/home_products/index.asp?program=HomePro.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 "NSF Laboratories". NSF International. http://www.nsf.org/business/about_NSF/laboratories.asp.
- ↑ "NSF International Acquires the INASSA Group". Nutraceuticals World. http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/contents/view_industry-news/2013-01-29/nsf-international-acquires-the-inassa-group/. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- ↑ https://www.nsf.org/about-nsf/board-directors NSF Board of Directors, retrieved February 12, 2025
- ↑ https://www.nsf.org/about-nsf/executive-team NSF Executive Team, Pedro Sancha, President and Chief Executive Officer, retrieved February 12, 2025
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