(NSF International, Ann Arbor, MI) -- NSF International recently announced it has obtained ISO 22000 accreditation from the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). This accreditation enables NSF International to conduct third-party audits for companies worldwide seeking registration to the international standard, ISO 22000—“Food safety management systems—Requirements for any organization in the food chain,” from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Maintaining food safety throughout the entire global supply chain has become a main priority for food companies, including crop producers, food manufacturers and processors, and producers of equipment and packaging materials. Food companies are demanding that quality assurance standards and systems be in place to enhance their overall safety and quality efforts, and implementing ISO 22000 is an effective way to demonstrate this commitment.

The ISO 22000 standard was created to ensure proper and universally-accepted food safety procedures are being followed throughout the supply chain. It is based on the quality management standard, ISO 9001, but has a greater focus on food safety management and incorporates hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) principles.

Earning accreditation for ISO 22000 provides NSF International with more credibility in the worldwide food market and complements NSF’s existing portfolio of food safety management services, including certifications to standards benchmarked to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), such as Safe Quality Food (SQF) and British Retail Consortium (BRC).

“NSF International has 65 years of experience in food safety inspection, certification, and auditing that provides an advance level of competence and has proven invaluable to companies in the food industry,” says Tom Chestnut, NSF International vice president of supply chain food safety and quality. “This accreditation is a natural evolution of our extensive food safety credentials. The food industry relies on NSF International to provide credible food safety management system registrations to companies throughout the world.”

To earn accreditation, NSF International had to follow a rigorous application and auditing process that included a formal review of processes and procedures, auditor qualifications, and a witness audit. The witness audit verified that NSF International auditors are highly competent and can perform the audits to the standard’s requirements. To maintain accreditation, NSF International will undergo an annual office and witness audit.

ANAB is a leader in accreditation processes that build confidence and value for stakeholders worldwide.

More information on NSF International’s food safety services, please visit www.nsf.org/business/iso_22000.