NSF CBD and Hemp Product Certification

Hemp-based products are widely available, ranging from dietary supplements, beverages and edibles to oils, creams and sprays. These products can be manufactured and marketed by small startups with little expertise in quality management, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and labeling requirements, creating potential risk and confusion for consumers. Even established brands may have limited experience sourcing, authenticating, producing and packaging hemp-based products.

Rigorous standards, validated tests and third-party audits are needed to protect consumers using products that contain hemp. As a mission-driven organization focused on protecting and improving human health, NSF is committed to providing services that help manufacturers produce, process and package hemp-based products consistent with GMPs, appropriate quality control procedures and applicable labeling requirements. With scientific expertise and decades of experience in the relevant product categories, NSF is uniquely qualified to serve the fast-growing hemp industry in the United States and help protect consumers who use these products.

NSF certifies CBD and hemp products to help ensure that they meet all the same identity and contaminant criteria as other supplements while also testing for acceptable levels of trace THC and hemp-specific residual solvents as defined by the standards.

To qualify for NSF certification, the allowable daily intake (ADI) for CBD in acceptable hemp-based ingredients is 60 milligrams per day. This is based on a comprehensive risk assessment in which we considered safety studies conducted on both human subjects and animals. More specifically, the ADI was derived from what we considered to be the most relevant and robust study, based on the highest dose level that did not elicit any treatment-related adverse effects. The ADI also accounts for various sources of uncertainty in our assessment, including unknown effects of chronic (lifetime) exposure, unknown effects in sensitive subpopulations and unknown effects on reproductive health.

To ensure that consumers have safer options for popular hemp and CBD products, NSF can certify these products to the following standards:

• NSF/ANSI 173 (Contents Certified)
• NSF 229
• NSF 306 (NSF Certified for Sport®)

NSF can also certify facility operations to NSF/ANSI 455-2 for dietary supplements and NSF/ANSI 455-3 for cosmetics, and your dietary ingredient manufacturing can achieve NSF 173 GMP registration.

Hemp and CBD product certification helps brands by:

• Certifying that their products do not contain unacceptable levels of contaminants, including those specific to hemp, like THC and certain solvents
• Verifying the validity of label claims via an accredited body
• Elevating them through demonstrating a dedication to quality

Finished products with use instructions of up to 60 milligrams per day can be certified with these cautionary statements:

• Not intended for children
• Do not use if pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive
• Intended for short-term use

As of October 2021, NSF is certifying products under this program. Finished products seeking NSF Certified for Sport certification must meet the additional strict THC requirements of NSF 306. NSF’s Certified for Sport program tests for more than 280 athletically banned substances, including THC, which is currently on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances. Additionally, some sports organizations consider both THC and CBD prohibited substances.