Ensure Safety with Food Contact Testing and Certification

Eating and drinking are vital parts of our daily life. Today, consumers are increasingly concerned about the safety of products that come into contact with the food they eat, the so-called food-grade products or food contact material.

Regulatory requirements for materials coming into contact with food are constantly updated and demand the highest levels of food safety and inspection services. Both authorities and consumers are paying more attention to the testing of these products. With TÜV Rheinland food-grade certification, your products are held to and proven to meet high safety standards.

A systematic method using principles (Food Hygiene Practices) for analyzing a food process and determining the possible chemical, physical, and biological hazards within that process, that should prevent any unsafe food from leaving the process (this process could be for a food processing plant or food preparation in a restaurant). The seven principles are:

1. Application
2. HACCP Plan Validation
3. Quality Manual Review
4. On-site Readiness Review
5. Registration Audit
6. Registration
7. Surveillance

Certain products, especially those in various colors, assist in maintaining a HACCP process.

Link: www.nrfsp.com/HACCP.aspx

NSF International is an independent testing lab/organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan. NSF lists products which meet their criteria for cleanability and sanitation: food contact, splash zone and non-food contact, per Standards:

2: Food Equipment and Standard

21: Thermoplastic Refuse Containers.

Link: www.nsf.org

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) requires substances of very high concern (SVHC) that are imported into the EU in certain quantities to be registered with European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). A list of acceptable substances is maintained and any substances on that list do not require separate registration. REACH is a globally recognized initiative and most countries now have some level of a REACH program.

United States Department of Agriculture Equipment Listing (Meat and Poultry and 3A Dairy Listing). Items that comply with USDA regulations via the design, construction, and materials of a product.

Link: www.usda.gov