NSF International Product Certifications

NSF International is an independent, non-profit corporation. NSF isn’t confined to the nutritional supplements industry, its reach extends to a multitude of sectors where it oversees the development of health standards and certification programs to safeguard food, water, and consumer products globally.

Understanding NSF International

The journey of NSF started in 1944 at the University of Michigan as the National Sanitation Foundation. Its aim was to standardize sanitation and food safety requirements. While the organization initially set safety standards for equipment like soda fountains and cooking gear, it soon widened its scope to include testing and certifying products in diverse industries, ensuring adherence to health and safety standards developed by NSF.  

In the nutritional supplement industry, NSF International has set a high benchmark for quality. Its certification program includes ingredient and product testing, independent plant inspections, and ongoing audits to safeguard consumer products. The continuous auditing function of NSF sets it apart from other third-party programs that may only audit once, potentially overlooking subsequent quality changes. 

NSF International’s enduring certification and auditing program, including batch testing, is designed to make certain each batch of a product continuously meets NSF's rigorous quality standards. 


The Importance of NSF Certification

The nutritional supplement industry has witnessed significant growth. From 4,000 products in the U.S. market in 1994 to over 90,000 by 2014, and now, more than 15,000 nutritional supplement manufacturing facilities across the globe, over half of them outside the United States.  

A recent report of facilities registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reveals less than three percent are audited annually, with two-thirds found to have substantial quality deficiencies during audits. This underscores the need for independent third-party testing and auditing. NSF International provides this certification, verifying nutritional supplement manufacturers' compliance with cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements.


NSF GMP Registered

Quality You Can Trust

The Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) guide the design, monitoring, and upkeep of manufacturing facilities and processes. They ensure that manufacturing facilities of pharmaceutical products, dietary supplements, and others are well-maintained and calibrated, and employees are adequately trained and qualified. With NSF's GMP auditing program, facilities receive biannual audits verifying compliance with FDA's cGMPs.  

When a product is NSF GMP Certified, it gives consumers peace of mind, knowing that the manufacturing facility has met the highest standards for product safety and quality. 


NSF International Product Certifications

Commitment to Athlete Safety

The NSF Certified for Sport® program caters to athletes, coaches, and those concerned about banned substances in dietary supplements, functional foods, and cosmetics/personal care products. It verifies the absence of unsafe levels of contaminants, prohibited substances or masking agents, ensuring that product labels accurately represent their contents. 

The Certified for Sport® certification is recognized by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the Canadian Football League. It is also recommended by the NFL, NBA, PGA, LPGA, Ironman, NASCAR, Taylor Hooton Foundation, and many other organizations seeking to reduce the risks of contaminated dietary supplements. 

As part of our commitment to providing consumer confidence, we have expanded the NSF Certified for Sport® certification to include cosmetic and personal care products, rigorously testing topically applied products against Certified for Sport® requirements.