Label Claim Certifications

QAI certifies products to the Canadian Organic Regime (COR); USDA National Organic Program (NOP); Mexico Organics Product Law Standard (LPO); Quebec Organic Reference Standards; European Union Organic Regulation (EU No 1169/2011); and NSF/ANSI 305 Organic Personal Care Products. QAI also helps companies to export organic products to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other international markets.

To learn more about QAI’s organic certifications, please contact us.

Non-GMO Project Verified

Today’s consumers care about what’s in their food. As a leading technical administrator for the Non-GMO Project’s verification program, NSF can assist your brand’s entry into this growing market and make it easy to earn the sought-after butterfly logo.

NSF’s experts help guide manufacturers and retailers through the non-GMO (genetically modified organism) certification process to earn the most-recognized, independently verified label for foods and dietary supplements. We have a thorough understanding of complicated GMO issues and provide a team of experienced account managers who care about your business.

The Non-GMO Project Verified mark is recognized by more than half of North American consumers, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Non-GMO Project with Linkage Research & Consulting. The survey also found that some consumers are willing to pay a premium for Non-GMO Project verified products.

Consumers Trust Non-GMO Project Verification

Since 2008, the Non-GMO Project has verified more than 60,000 products from over 3,000 brands as non-GMO, with strong consumer demand fueling average growth of over 9% per year.

Products that have passed the Non-GMO Project’s independent verification process, which may include testing of high-risk ingredients in product formulations, are issued the butterfly seal of approval. The seal assures consumers that these products have been produced according to the requirements of the Non-GMO Project Standard, which represents best practices for GMO avoidance.

Non-GMO Project verification provides:

• A way to demonstrate your brand’s commitment to building a more transparent food system
• Increased market share and market differentiation opportunities
• Compliance with retail, industry and government requirements, such as Whole Food Market’s GMO Labeling Policy and the USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard
• Independent, third-party credibility for non-GMO claims

We also offer other food safety certifications and services to save you both time and expense.

For more information about Non-GMO Project verification, please contact us.

Gluten-Free

The demand for gluten-free food continues to rise: Shoppers are driving the gluten-free market to nearly double to U.S.$12.5 billion by 2025, according to Global Market Insights. Consumers who want added assurance that they are purchasing gluten-free products are more confident when packaging displays a verification label from a trusted third-party source like NSF.

Our gluten-free program demonstrates compliance to FDA gluten-free labeling guidelines. We work with manufacturers and retailers to verify their ingredients and products are gluten-free through robust cross-contamination controls, auditing, testing and inspecting.

Gluten-free certification can be easily bundled with other NSF product certifications and food quality and safety programs to save you time and money.

For more information about NSF’s gluten-free certification, please contact us.

Certified Plant Based

Demand for plant-based foods continues to grow rapidly, outpacing total food sales by as much as five times in recent years. Driving this growth are increasing consumer concerns about health, animal ethics and the environment.

Available in Canada through Plant-Based Foods of Canada (PBFC) and NSF, the Certified Plant Based program defines plant-based food to make it easy for consumers to choose sustainable alternatives to meat, egg and dairy products. Earning the Certified Plant Based on-package mark helps set your food product apart in this fast-growing market by providing assurance that it fits consumers’ dietary needs, whether they’re a full-time vegan or vegetarian, or experimenting with being “flexitarian.”

Products eligible for Certified Plant Based are meat, dairy and egg alternative products, or foods containing these alternatives without any animal-derived ingredients.

For more information about Certified Plant Based certification, please contact us.

Raised Without Antibiotics

A recent Consumer Reports survey found that 43% of shoppers always or often buy meat raised without antibiotics at the grocery store. The Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) certification assures consumers that the animal products they buy have been produced without exposure to antibiotics. This certification brings credibility and consistency to the on-package claim and covers all animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy and eggs.

Canadian livestock consume more than 1.6 million kilograms of antibiotics every year, according to the Canadian Animal Health Institute. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the overuse of antibiotics in both human and veterinary medicine has led to the development of superbugs — bacteria that are resistant to currently available antibiotics. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been identified as a high-priority public health concern by the WHO, the United Nations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RWA is available as a dual certification with NSF Global Animal Wellness Standards, requiring just one audit at your facility. You can also bundle RWA with QAI organic, non-GMO or gluten-free certifications for reduced pricing and audit efficiencies.

For more information about Raised Without Antibiotics certification, please contact us.

True Source Honey Traceability

NSF provides certification and testing services for honey producers, and food and personal care processors to independently verify the origin traceability of honey. True Source Honey certification traces the source of honey and verifies that it comes from an approved country. This provides assurance to consumers that the product matches what is stated on the package and supports the global honey industry by demonstrating compliance to international trade law.

True Source Honey Certification

This certification combines stringent third-party audits with active third-party sampling and container shipment oversight to trace honey from bottle to beehive – helping honey producers, importers and brokers voluntarily demonstrate their commitment to responsible honey sourcing.

Made With True Source Honey Certification

This certification is for food, personal care and over-the-counter (OTC) drug manufacturers, packagers or retailers using honey as an ingredient in their products. Honey is a natural sweetener that appeals to the health and environmentally conscious consumer, and can be found in foods such as breakfast cereal, breads, snacks, spreads, confectionary, sauces and yogurt. Honey is also commonly used in personal care and OTC products like lip balms, lotions, soaps, hair care and cough and cold suppressants.

This on-package mark verifies that 100 percent of the honey used in a product is True Source Honey certified. Products seeking certification demonstrate compliance through a document review and facility inspection.

For more information about the True Source Honey certifications, please contact us.

Star-K Kosher Certification

Today’s shoppers want to feel confident that the products they consume meet their standards for religious and personal beliefs. NSF is pleased to work with Star-K Kosher Certification to offer the most comprehensive kosher verification available. The market for kosher products continues to grow and reaches beyond food. Kosher certification can apply to pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements and medications. We work with manufacturers and retailers to ensure they meet the requirements of this critical standard.

For the growing numbers of companies that opt for both organic and kosher certification, our new streamlined auditing process reduces overall inspection costs, saves time and provides excellent service.

For more information about Kosher certification, please contact us.