Food Packaging Certification

We support retailers and food and beverage packaging manufacturers with a wide range of services to support specific requirements. Choose from any or all of the following:

Independent reviews for food contact regulations

We’ll independently review your documentation and confirm if a product meets food contact regulations for the market you are intending to supply, whether that is within the US or other markets, such as Europe.

Based on our review, additional documents may be needed, or testing may need to be arranged to fill any gaps in the documented records.

Independent material safety testing

Using temperature and exposure times identified by you, we’ll conduct independent migration testing of your food packaging, exposing the packaging materials to food simulants to see if specific harmful chemicals or metal contaminants leach from the packaging into the food.

Claims verification testing for chemicals of concern

We’ll conduct independent tests to determine whether measurable levels of the chemicals can be found to ensure specific safety claims made on your food packaging labels are accurate. We can verify that your packaging is:

• BPA-free
• PFAS-free
• MOAH-free
• Phthalate-free
• Lead-free
• Arsenic-free
• Cadmium-free
• Nickel-free
• Chromium-free
• Mercury-free.

Our Chemicals of Concern testing covers different types of plastic packaging and other packaging materials, including:

• Polymeric materials
• Paper, paperboard, cardboard, and/or pulp
• Wood and cork
• Coatings
• Inks
• Colorants.

Want to dive deeper into the US and EU regulatory framework and certification process?

Watch the webinar: Designed for Confidence - Meet Food Packaging Regulations and Earn Trust.

Build customer trust and grow market share: verifying your claims and material safety through independent testing and certification helps to build consumer trust and enhance credibility. In turn, this can lead to increased customer loyalty and market share.

Mitigate risk: false or unverified claims can lead to lawsuits, product recalls, and damage to public image. Independent testing provides scientific backing to claims. Testing and verification also mitigates the risks associated with accessing new international and local markets because you’ll have the right credentials from the outset​​.

Gain a commercial advantage​​: in a crowded market, verified safety claims can provide product differentiation and justify premium pricing.

​Meet current regulations​​: prove your right to trade by verifying that you meet the regulations of your chosen markets​​, with the enhanced credibility of a third-party review.

Help customers find the information they want, easily: with our online listing of your certified products. This gives new and existing customers and consumers the extra reassurance they are looking for.

Sustainable growth​​: many harmful substances like PFAS are also environmental pollutants, so making environmentally-responsible packaging choices has multiple benefits. Demonstrating that packaging is free from such substances supports broader ESG initiatives and can help you lead your industry to a more sustainable future. Testing and certification also provides the proof of due diligence needed to support retailers’ sustainability claims​.

Whether you’re a packaging supplier or a retailer, gaining independent certification that the food packaging you supply complies with regulations can help you to manage risk and prevent damage to your brand. It also provides your customers with the reassurance they are looking for.

Plus, testing and certification can add weight to annual reports and ESG credibility, helping support bids or new finance agreements.

Here at NSF, we’ll design our service to your requirements, so you’re not paying for elements that you don’t need.

If all you need is to check that your packaging complies with regulations, we can do that. If you want reassurance that relevant, harmful chemicals aren’t leaching into food, we can do that. Or if you just want us to verify the claims that the packaging is BPA-free, for example, we can do that, too.

Because we take a client-first approach, you’ll have a dedicated account manager who will work with you to understand how NSF can support your business, the specifics around a particular project, and manage the process from end to end. You’ll receive a personalized service with proactive problem-solving, faster decision-making, regular reporting and updates. Communication will be streamlined and efficient, reducing confusion and avoiding duplication.

Trusted products and confident consumers, bringing improved opportunities for customer loyalty and growth.