Supplier Assurance

NSF provides various supplier assurance services. Our supplier assurance audit is a non-certified audit that has been used by the food industry for many years. It is an excellent tool for evaluating a facility’s compliance to HACCP and GMP requirements. Additionally, NSF works closely with several major retailers and foodservice companies to conduct proprietary audits for their packaging suppliers, and we can provide audits to assess your readiness for compliance to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

We can provide many of these audits with any Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Below you will find more information about our offerings for storage and distribution, HACCP verification, food fraud services, as well as animal feed and animal welfare audits.

For more information, contact nsfcanada@nsf.org or call 519-821-1246.

Storage & Distribution Certification

As foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls become increasingly prevalent, requirements are becoming more stringent for companies at all levels of the supply chain, including the storage and distribution sector. Forward-thinking food storage and distribution companies are taking further measures to evaluate their food safety practices and bolster brand protection with second and third-party food safety audits that include unique elements for the storage and distribution industry.

Our storage and distribution audits increase your brand protection and minimizes risk while demonstrating independent verification that your food safety system complies with food safety standards. It gives assurances to your customers that food and beverage products in your care have been handled according to the highest standards in food safety.

FSMA Readiness

NSF has developed audits for the supply chain to help evaluate readiness for compliance with the U.S. FDA’s expanded requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). We offer audits specific to three key industry sectors: food processors, animal feed producers and importers.

Our FSMA readiness audits evaluate current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and preventive controls to assist facilities in understanding where they have opportunities for improving adherence to the FSMA rules. These are not regulatory audits, but help a facility prepare for the new regulatory requirements.

FSMA readiness is essential to the success of your business in this new regulatory environment. NSF’s 70 years of experience in food safety and knowledge of FSMA make us the perfect choice to help ensure you are successful. As required implementation dates approach, help ensure that your facility is ready and increase your chances of compliance.

HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is the internationally recognized risk-based system for managing food safety. As described in the Codex Alimentarius, HACCP provides the general principles of food hygiene from primary production to final consumption, highlighting key hygiene controls at each stage. Built on the foundation of effective prerequisite programs such as training, pest control and sanitation, HACCP applies control measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce significant hazards to an acceptable level.

In 2005, HACCP became mandatory in Canada for federally-registered meat and poultry establishments. In federally-registered fish establishments, the principles of HACCP are followed under the facility’s quality management program, or QMP. Now, as the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) come into effect, having a solid basis in HACCP principles is even more relevant, as previously non-federally registered food sectors in Canada will be subject to licensing and CFIA oversight. Like HACCP, the proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) are aligned with Codex Alimentarius and, as with FSMA, HACCP provides a base for the development of preventative control plans required by the SFCR.

NSF has been providing HACCP services for many years and is a longstanding and credible HACCP training provider, recognized by the International HACCP Alliance and the Seafood HACCP Alliance. In addition:

  • NSF was the first service provider to develop and offer HACCP systems registration in 2000.
  • At the same time, NSF began to offer HACCP certification, which was the conceptual forbearer of FSSC 22000 and other GFSI-benchmarked schemes.
  • NSF’s auditors and consultants are trained HACCP managers with extensive breadth and depth of experience in developing, implementing and managing HACCP programs.

Use of NSF consulting services or attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage, nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification.

Animal Feed

NSF provides a comprehensive range of auditing and certification services to help your organization create safe, high–quality animal feed and pet food products. As the first link in the supply chain, feed is a cornerstone in farm-to fork food safety. We offer a complete supply chain management program that covers all stages from primary production to manufacturing to distribution. At an industry level, it is important to ensure feed quality and safety by mitigating risk factors throughout your entire supply chain.

We help to ensure that companies throughout the supply chain are well prepared to meet the new FSMA animal feed requirements, as well as able to stay competitive in a global marketplace.

Animal Welfare

As consumers become more educated about the foods they eat, more companies are requiring that their suppliers follow specific animal welfare guidelines. Scientific measures used to identify an animal’s welfare include living conditions, behavior, longevity, disease, physiology, reproduction and immunosuppression. Humane handling guidelines are critical from birth through slaughter to ensure proper treatment of animals. It is becoming more critical that producers, food service companies and retailers are aware of these standards and ensure their suppliers are in compliance in order limit risk to their organizations.

We provide certification and second- and third-party auditing for many animal welfare standards in the beef, poultry, swine, dairy, sheep, layer (egg) and bison industries, including:

Industry Standards

  • NCC: National Chicken Council
  • NTF: National Turkey Federation
  • AMI: American Meat Institute (beef, swine and sheep)
  • Egg Farmers of Canada
  • EU Layer Furnished Cage
  • Cattle BSE and SRM Addendum Audits
  • American Humane Association

NSF Standards

  • NSF Animal Welfare Readiness Audit
  • NSF Global Traceable Down Standard
(Attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage, nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification.)