What Is NSF Certification?
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Talk to our experts- NSF certification
- NSF certification is third-party certification by NSF, founded in 1944 as the National Sanitation Foundation, that a product, material, component or service complies with the technical requirements of a specific standard. Certified products can carry the NSF mark and appear in NSF's listings, where a specific manufacturer and model can be checked.
Also called: NSF certified
How it works
NSF certification means an independent certification body, NSF, has confirmed that a product meets the requirements of the standard it was tested to. NSF says each NSF certification mark represents certification to the specific standard to which it applies, from dietary supplements and water filters to dishwashers, plumbing components, management systems and more.
NSF follows the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Standards Council of Canada (SCC) standards development processes, and its certification programs are accredited by bodies including ANSI and ANAB. NSF is not connected to the National Science Foundation.
How a product becomes NSF certified
The manufacturer applies and submits information about the product.
NSF evaluates the product and tests it in the lab against the standard.
NSF inspects the plant, confirms production and samples the product.
Test results are reviewed and accepted, a contract is signed, and the product is listed.
Certification continues with an annual plant inspection and retesting.
NSF notes that the process is specific to the product, process or service being certified and the type of certification, but generally follows those steps.
What NSF food equipment certification covers
For commercial foodservice equipment, NSF food equipment standards include requirements for:
- Material safety: the product will not leach harmful chemicals into food.
- Design and construction: the product is cleanable and is not likely to harbor bacteria.
- Product performance.
NSF certification to these standards also includes audits of the production facility to ensure the product is made using good manufacturing practices. NSF/ANSI 51, Food Equipment Materials, is one of these standards.
Certified by NSF vs. certified to an NSF standard
The two phrases mean different things. A product certified by NSF has authorized use of the NSF mark. A product certified to an NSF/ANSI standard was certified by another certification body, and NSF says that route carries no access to the NSF mark. NSF also says its listings are updated daily and are the only way to ensure that a specific manufacturer and model is currently NSF certified.
When NSF certification is required
NSF says third-party certification gives stakeholders information to determine compliance to regulatory and purchase specifications, and that regulators can recognize accredited certifications or other certifications, such as "NSF or equivalent". In US foodservice, the FDA Food Code 2026 says food equipment and multiuse food-contact surfaces certified or classified for sanitation to a recognized American National Standard by an ANSI-accredited certification program are deemed to comply with Parts 4-1 and 4-2, Materials for Construction and Repair and Design and Construction. The Food Code is a model offered for adoption by local, state and federal jurisdictions. This is general information, not legal or regulatory advice.
Example
A foodservice distributor carries 400 food storage SKUs, and the manufacturers' spec sheets show 320 with an NSF listing: 320 / 400 = 80 percent of the range. Before tagging those 320 as NSF listed online, the team checks each model in NSF's listings.
On Shopify
Shopify Search & Discovery filters let customers refine which products are displayed on collection pages and in search results. Product metafield filters are based on product metafields that are assigned to all products in the store, so a product attribute such as an NSF listing can be stored in a metafield and offered as a filter. True or false and single line text are among the value types Shopify lists for metafield filters.
How Uncap helps
Uncap's page on restaurant food storage containers treats NSF listing as product data. Material, temperature range, NSF listing, capacity and color are configured as product attributes from the manufacturer's spec sheets, so a buyer can narrow by temperature rating. The storefront shows what the data says. It does not certify anything, and the spec sheet stays one click away.
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Frequently asked questions
What does NSF certification mean?
NSF certification means NSF, an independent certification body, has certified that a product, material, component or service meets the technical requirements of a specific standard. Each NSF mark represents certification to the specific standard it applies to.
How hard is it to get NSF certified?
NSF certification generally follows seven steps: application, product evaluation, lab testing, a manufacturing facility inspection with product sampling, review of test results, a signed contract and listing, then annual plant inspection and retesting to keep the certification.
Is NSF certification mandatory?
Whether NSF certification is mandatory depends on the code and the buyer specification that apply. NSF says third-party certification lets stakeholders determine compliance to regulatory and purchase specifications. In US foodservice, the FDA Food Code, a model offered for adoption by jurisdictions, deems food equipment certified for sanitation to a recognized American National Standard by an ANSI-accredited program to comply with its materials, design and construction parts, and regulators can recognize "NSF or equivalent".
How do I check if a product is NSF certified?
Search NSF's certified product listings for the manufacturer and model. NSF says its listings are updated daily and are the only way to ensure that a specific manufacturer and model is currently NSF certified.
