Global public health organization NSF International (NSF) was recently accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to certify manufacturers to the NSF/ANSI 455 GMP (good manufacturing practice) standards. This accreditation allows NSF to expand its dietary supplement GMP certification program to include manufacturers of cosmetics/personal care and over-the-counter (OTC) products. NSF is the first independent certifier to begin auditing and certifying products to the new GMP standards.
The NSF/ANSI 455 GMP standards are designed to strengthen safety, quality and trust throughout the supply chain, combine regulatory requirements with retailer quality requirements and reduce the number of audits and financial costs associated with audits.
Separate from NSF’s certification program, NSF’s standards development arm worked with industry representatives, public health officials, regulators and consumer interest groups over the last five years to develop the NSF/ANSI 455 GMP audit standards. The standards include detailed requirements for:
- Dietary supplements (NSF/ANSI 455-2)
- Cosmetics/personal care products (NSF/ANSI 455-3)
- Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (NSF/ANSI 455-4)
“Independent certification to NSF/ANSI 455 GMP demonstrates a manufacturer’s commitment to quality and good manufacturing practices,” said Katie Fillinger, certification program manager at NSF International.
Manufacturers earning NSF certification receive a certificate bearing both the ANAB and NSF marks. Together, these marks send a powerful signal to suppliers, vendors and clients.
NSF International is currently transitioning dietary supplement clients from its previous GMP registration program (NSF/ANSI 173 Section 8) to NSF/ANSI 455 GMP certification, which it expects will help reduce the annual audit burden of manufacturers. NSF is also working with new customers not previously GMP registered.
For more information, visit www.nsf.org.
