What is NSF Certification?

The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) was founded in 1944 and is a non-profit organization whose goal is to create standards for food safety and sanitation. It is now known as NSF International.

The NSF mark assures consumers, retailers and regulators that certified products have been rigorously tested to comply with all standard requirements. NSF certified products undergo product testing and routine inspections to verify continued compliance with the standard.

Why Does NSF Certification Matter?

• Documents that the product was reviewed in accordance with established standards or guidelines
• Shows that a trusted third party has objectively verified the product claims and labeling 
• Can signal a market advantage and differentiator compared to competing products
• Indicates a company’s commitment to safety, compliance and quality
• Is supported by public health and safety professionals in more than 180 countries

NSF Certification for Industrial Lighting

The NSF certification is used to indicate that products meet guidelines to be installed for industrial lighting applications including food processing facilities. 

Food processing and manufacturing industries present a wide range of severe conditions for light fixtures, such as exposure to extreme cold, routine washdown with harsh chemicals, humidity, particulates and debris, and high temperatures. 

NSF food safe lights have been certified by NSF International as suitable for use in a food prep facility. The fixtures must be fully washable, and cannot include visible screws or other places that bacteria can shelter. NSF lights for food prep facilities also cannot have glass or other breakable parts.

What is NSF/ANSI 2 (NSF 2)?

NSF 2 documents minimum food protection and sanitation requirements for food equipment, including lighting. The testing and certification are designed to prevent food contamination by including corrosion resistance, cleanability and the ability of exposed material to withstand normal wear.

Lighting requirements are divided into three different types of areas or zones:

• Non-Food Zone – includes kitchens, food storage, dry process areas, and damp process areas.
• Splash Zone – includes wet or damp process areas where high-pressure purging or decontamination used, and areas using hose wash-downs.
• Food Zone – which relates to areas in direct contact with food products, where full sanitation is required.

What is NSF P442?

The NSF P442: Controlled Environment Light Fixtures certification indicates that luminaires are designed and built for use in demanding environments including food processing and horticulture, among other applications. 

The NSF P442 certification has several components:

• Testing in compliance with NSF/ANSI 2: Food Equipment – which is specific for minimum sanitation requirements for materials, design and construction
• Testing to determine that the light fixture has a high level of protection against dust and water
• Pressure testing specifically developed for NSF P442

Are FX Lighting products NSF certified?

FX Lighting products are NSF Splash Zone certified. We use the NSF certification to document that our fixtures are designed for durability in extreme industrial environments like food and beverage processing, manufacturing and distribution environments, and livestock farming facilities.