Food Safety Manager Certification Program Earns Accreditation
The National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) has become the first and only food safety manager certification program to be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) based on the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 standard for conformity–general requirement for bodies operating certification of persons.
The ICO/ESC standard is recognized internationally for organizations operating certification programs, providing assurance that the certified body meets the requirements of the certification. NRFSP maintains its existing Conference for Food Protection (CFP) accreditation and has added the more stringent accreditation to support, among other things, multinational food organizations seeking a food manager certification with multi-jurisdictional acceptance.
The ANSI accreditation “establishes a new benchmark in food safety assessment and represents our commitment to help retail foodservice organizations around the world in their role to protect the public against foodborne illness and comply with increasing government regulations and mounting public concerns regarding food safety,” said Lawrence Lynch, president of Orlando, Fla.-based NRFSP.
NRFSP helps restaurants and foodservice organizations uphold essential food safety personnel standards through its certification programs. The organization’s relationship with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in the United Kingdom will further expand the organization’s reach within the global food safety network.
Additionally, NRFSP has teamed with Bloomington, Minn.-based Pearson VUE to use that company’s computer-based testing centers to deliver NFRSP ISO-accredited certification exams around the world.
“With massive foodborne illness outbreaks grabbing headlines around the world and a growing public mandate for accountability, the conditions are right to establish a global standard for food safety manager certification,” added Lynch. “Food safety is a high-stakes situation, and by collaborating with Pearson VUE, we’ll be able to leverage its technology to deliver better exams.”