Overview
![nsf logo](/img/overseas/nsf_logo.jpg)
NSF stands for the National Sanitation Foundation. It is responsible for product audit and sanitary standard certification services. NSF was founded in 1944 by Walter Snyder, Henry Vaughn, and Nathan Sinai at the University of Michigan Public Health Institute, and later on, in 1990, it merged with the National Sanitation Foundation Testing Laboratory (NSFTL), which was founded in 1952. NSF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that addresses the water, food, air, and environmental sectors of the NSF program. To protect the health, safety, and environment, NSF establishes high-quality standards based on its development of standards, provision of education, and review on safety to evaluate the suitability of a product. The main tasks of the NSF are the development of standardization methods, audit and certification of products, training and education, and the registration of quality systems.
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Procedure
The reason why NSF has received worldwide recognition is that it has strict verification procedures carried out by a committee of experts, accurate and demanding standards, and rational systems/procedures required for certification. Once NSF has approved the necessity of a certification procedure, it first confirms the importance of the subject, drafts the research scope and draft, and presents the anticipated problems. The technical committee develops a standard according to the specific need for standardization, and once an agreement is made at the technical committee, it is designated as a standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) upon being reviewed by the Public Health Advisory Council. If the proposal is rejected by the public health advisory committee, it is returned to the technical committee. Overall, this institutional procedure has made NSF a world-class accredited institution.
NSF water quality standards
- 1. Wastewater Treatment Units
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Standard for special processes, components, and devices required to treat or control wastewater. ANSI/NSF Standard 40-Residential Wastewater Treatment Systems: Standard for residential wastewater treatment systems.
- 2. Drinking Water Treatment Units
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NSF has served the drinking water treatment equipment industry since 1968. It has been directed by the EPA to develop harmonized standards and ensure health and pollutant reduction. These standards were treated as important factors for manufacturers to expand the market. In 1996, joint research with the World Health Organization for drinking water safety and treatment was conducted, and NSF standards and certified products were distributed worldwide.
- 1) ANSI / NSF 42 (Drinking Water Treatment Units()Aesthetic Effects)
- 2) ANSI / NSF 53 (Drinking Water Treatment Units()Health Effects)
- 3. Drinking Water Additives
- The NSF Drinking Water Additives Program is a certifying system for chemicals and components used to treat drinking water in the drinking water system. Its mission is to ensure that the chemical treatment of drinking water does not contain contaminants that adversely affect health.
- 1) ANSI / NSF 60 (Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals)
- 2) ANSI / NSF 61 (Drinking Water System Components)
- 4. Structural Test
- Test on pressure resistance and durability of water purifiers.
- 5. Dissolution Test
- Dissolution test for all raw materials featured in water purifiers (aluminum, lead, mercury, TOC, VOC, etc.).
- ANSI/NSF 42 - Taste, odor, chlorine, particulate matters, etc.
- ANSI/NSF 53 - Lead, mercury, etc.
Products
- 1. Certification of Meat and Poultry Processing Equipment
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ANSI / NSF / 3-A Standard 14159-1-2000 applies to this type of product certification. Products subject to this certification include equipment used for processing general meat and poultry, and materials and coatings used in the processing.
- 2. Certification of Food Service Equipment
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NSF conducts conformity assessments related to food service equipment. This NSF certification program includes product testing, certification, and product factory audits to demonstrate the conformity of a product. During the certification process, NSF periodically conducts factory audits.
- 3. Food Service Equipment Standards
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- 1) ANSI / NSF Standard 2 : Food Service Equipment
- 2) ANSI / NSF Standard 3 : Commercial Spray()Type Dishwashing and Glasswashing Machines
- 3) ANSI / NSF Standard 4 : Commercial Cooking and Heat Recovery Equipment
- 4) ANSI / NSF Standard 5 : Hot Water Generating and Heat Recovery Equipment
- 5) ANSI / NSF Standard 6 : Dispensing Freezers
- 6) ANSI / NSF Standard 7 : Food Service Refrigerators and Storage Freezers
- 7) ANSI / NSF Standard 8 : Commercial Powered Food Preparation Equipment
- 8) ANSI / NSF Standard 12 : Automatic Ice Making Equipment
- 9) ANSI / NSF Standard 13 : Refuse Compactors and compactor Systems
- 10) ANSI / NSF Standard 18 : Manual Food and Beverage Dispensing Equipment
- 11) ANSI / NSF Standard 20 : commercial Bulk Milk Dispensing Equipment
- 12) ANSI / NSF Standard 21 : Thermoplastic Refuse Containers
- 13) ANSI / NSF Standard 25 : Vending Machines for Food and Beverages
- 14) ANSI / NSF Standard 26 : Pot, Pan, and Utensil Washers
- 15) ANSI / NSF Standard 29 : Detergent / Chemical Feeders for Commercial Spray()Type Dishwashing Machines
- 16) ANSI / NSF Standard 35 : Laminated Plastics for Surfacing Food Serving Food Service Equipment
- 17) ANSI / NSF Standard 36 : Dinnerware
- 18) ANSI / NSF Standard 37 : Air Curtains for Entrance Ways in Food Establishments
- 19) ANSI / NSF Standard 51 : Plastic Materials and Components Used in Food Equipment
- 20) ANSI / NSF Standard 52 : Supplemental Flooring
- 21) ANSI / NSF Standard 59 : Food Carts
- 22) ANSI Criteria C()2 : Special Equipment and/or Devices(Food Service Equipment)
- 4. DWTU Program Standard Standards
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- 1) ANSI / NSF 42 () Drinking Water Treatment Unit()Aesthetic Effects
- 2) ANSI / NSF 44 () Cation Exchange Water Softeners
- 3) ANSI / NSF 55 () Ultraviolet Microbiological Water Treatment Systems
- 4) ANSI / NSF 58 () Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Systems
- 5) ANSI / NSF 62 () Drinking Water Distillation Systems
- 6) ANSI / NSF 60 () Drinking Water Treatment Chemical
- 7) ANSI / NSF 61 () Drinking Water Components
- 8) ANSI / NSF 177 () Shower Filtration Systems()Aesethetic Effects
- 3. Drinking Water Additives
- Dissolution test for all raw materials featured in water purifiers (aluminum, lead, mercury, TOC, VOC, etc.).
- ANSI/NSF 42 - Taste, odor, chlorine, particulate matters, etc.
- ANSI/NSF 53 - Lead, mercury, etc.
Process
NSF conducts a preliminary evaluation of products at manufacturing sites or processing facilities.
Once the size of the meat and poultry processing equipment is determined, NSF evaluates the equipment at the location of the user's processing facility.
This evaluation reviews the material, design, and structure according to the requirements of ANSI / NSF / 3-A Standard 14159-1-25000.
To ensure that all matters related to public health (design, operation, cleanliness) have been considered, NSF reviews the risk assessment prepared by the manufacturer in accordance with the standard.
Moreover, a manual including cleaning maintenance and installation procedures must be presented.
- 1. Application
- 2. Plant Audit
- 3. Physical Evaluation
- 4. Material Acceptance
- 5. Documentation Report Registration and Certification
- 1) Physical Evaluations
- Physical evaluation is conducted at the manufacturer's factory or NSF's headquarters. This step includes data evaluation, testing, and evaluation of the product design and structure.
- 2) Design and Construction
- Design and construction vary depending on the type of device. In general, evaluations are made on minimum radius sizes, closed or sealed joints and seams, fastening methods, and clearances. Products must meet the requirements for openings and covers, doors, gingers, gaskets, shelves, mountings, and other hygiene-related items.
- 3) Meterial Requirements
- Material requirements involve matters concerning the inclusion of contaminants that may or may come into contact with food. Exposed surfaces must not have any sharp edges and must not be difficult to clean.
- 4) Performance Testing
- Performance testing is performed to determine whether the manufacturer's product meets all the requirements of the relevant standard. If the manufacturer has adequate testing facilities, NSF conducts on-site testing.
- 5) Documentation Report
- The Documentation Report should contain all the materials required for certification. This report must be stored at NSF's headquarters and at the manufacturer's production site, respectively.
- 6) NSF Certificate
- The NSF certificate is issued once all relevant requirements are satisfied, and the related documents and test items are returned to the manufacturer. Upon certification, audits are carried out annually to ensure continued conformity.
NSF Home Water Treatment Devices
- 1. Scope of application
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- 1) Adsorption Filters (i.e.carbon, charcoal, KDF, ceramic)
- 2) Reverse Osmosis Systems
- 3) Water Softeners
- 4) Distillation Systems
- 5) Ultraviolet Disinfection Products
- 2. Applicable standards
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- 1) Adsorption (NSF / ANSI 42 & 53)
- 2) Softeners (NSF / ANSI 44)
- 3) Ultraviolet Treatment (NSF / ANSI 55)
- 4) Reverse Osmosis (NSF / ANSI 58)
- 5) Distillers (NSF / ANSI 62)