| National Sanitation Foundation | |
| Logo Alt: | Blue circle with letters NSF |
| Abbreviation: | NSF |
| Type: | Testing, inspection, certification, training, and consulting |
| Status: | Not-for-profit |
| Purpose: | Improve and protect human health worldwide. |
| Headquarters: | Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States |
| Region Served: | 150 countries |
| Leader Title: | President and CEO |
| Leader Name: | Pedro Sancha |
| Num Staff: | 1,200 (2011) |
NSF (an initialism for National Sanitation Foundation) is a public health organization[1] headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan[2] that tests and certifies foods, water, and consumer products. It also facilitates the development of standards for these products, labeling products it has certified to meet these standards with the NSF mark.[3]
NSF is accredited by the American National Standards Institute and the Standards Council of Canada.[4]
NSF International, originally named the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), was founded in 1944 by the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in an attempt to standardize requirements around sanitation and food safety. The first standards developed by the NSF set sanitation requirements on soda fountain and luncheonette equipment. The name of the organization was changed to NSF International in 1990 based on the fact that the company certifed things beyond sanitation and to operate internationally beyond the United States.
The NSF certifies food equipment, including food preparation and dispensing equipment, ice makers, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashing sinks, vending machines, mobile food carts, and service counters.[5] These certifications are widely recognized internationally.
NSF's Food division also certifies the gluten-freeness of products and other similar characteristics, as well as certifying bottled water and packaged ice.[6]
The NSF also certifies dietary supplements through a standard it facilitated the development of adopted by ANSI (NSF/American National Standards Institute Standard 173), testing for safe levels of contaminants and that the ingredients on supplements match their labels. it competed in this with the United States Pharmacopeia certification mark.[7]
The NSF also develops standards for and certifies water quality.[8] As of 2024 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets limits on drinking water contaminants based on standards set by the NSF.[9]
The NSF Consumer Products Division tests and certifies consumer products and appliances used in and around the home.[10] [11]
NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR) an NSF company, offers certifications for information security (e.g. ISO 27001, ISO 20000-1), specialty services (automotive and aerospace) and management systems that includes environmental, occupational health and safety standards).
NSF maintains laboratories in North America,[12] South America,[13] Europe and China. NSF's laboratories are accredited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. NSF laboratories are ISO 17025 certified (testing and calibration).