New Certification Program for Non-Potentially Hazardous Foods

NSF International has announced a new groundbreaking certification program for non-potentially hazardous bakery products. NSF has teamed with Silliker Laboratories, the pre-eminent microbiology laboratory in the United States, to test and certify products to NSF Draft Standard 75. Standard 75 certification gives manufacturers, retailers, and public health regulators a way to identify products as safe for storage at ambient temperatures. Certification requires product testing and production site audits as outlined in NSF Program-Specific Policies for Non-Potentially Hazardous Foods. Products tested by Silliker Laboratories and determined by NSF to be in compliance will bear the NSF Registered Certification Mark. Regulators can look for the NSF Mark on products beginning in January 2000. (See page 2 for more on the testing methods) About Draft Standard 75NSF International developed Draft Standard 75 for Non-Potentially Hazardous Foods based on the current FDA Food Code definition of potentially hazardous foods. The Conference for Food Protection, at its 1996 meeting, recommended that the FDA work with a third party to develop a standard for specific criteria and on-site verification that soft pies and similar products can be stored without refrigeration for a time specified by the manufacturer. To begin development of the standard, NSF formed, with the FDA’s concurrence, a joint committee on non-potentially hazardous foods composed of regulatory officials at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as users and manufacturers. After almost three years of studies, testing, and meetings, this committee developed the Draft Standard for distribution and trial use. Scope of Draft Standard 75Certification to Standard 75 includes a variety of bakery products traditionally considered potentially hazardous due to their ingredients, but that have been formulated in such a way to no longer be considered potentially hazardous.

Four specific categories of products are included:

1. Specialty breads or pastries containing fresh, canned, frozen, or rehydrated vegetables or soft cheeses added before baking (such as cheese danish)
2. Bakery products including pastries filled or topped with creme, custard, or cheese after baking (such as Boston Cream Pie)
3. Products filled before baking (such as pumpkin, sweet potato, custard, or meringue pies)
4. Components, including toppings, glazes, icings, or fillings stored without temperature control before use in other products.

Products excluded from the scope of Standard 75 include:

1. Bakery products containing dehydrated vegetables
2. Bakery products containing fruit fillings
3. Individually pre-portioned wrapped and fruit-filled, creme-filled, and/or frosted products (such as pre-wrapped snack cakes)
4. Traditional breads and pastries (including white bread, bagels, donuts, or muffins)
5. Food products rendered non-potentially hazardous by special packaging (such as modified atmosphere packaging).

For more information, contact Kathleen Pompliano at (734) 827-6856 or send e-mail to pompliano@nsf.org.

A manufacturer may achieve certification for products based on these classifications:

I. Components, such as toppings, glazes, icings, or fillings that are stored without temperature control before use.
II. Finished products manufactured at the production location.
III. Products processed into an unfinished, fully assembled condition at the production location, but baked at a food establishment according to manufacturer’s instructions.
IV. Component kit, made at a company’s production location, for processing into a finished product at a food establishment according to manufacturer’s instructions.

NSF International, 789 Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Tel: 800-NSF-MARK; Fax: 734-913-5787.