Your Path to SQF Certification
We prepare you for a successful SQF audit with tailored strategies and support.
Navigating SQF and FSMA for Your Business
Safe Quality Food (SQF) is a benchmarked certification that is used to control food safety risks in your supply chain.
The SQF Food Safety Certification requirements are comprised of a rigorous system to ensure your customers that your company provides safe, quality products to the food industry.
SQF is a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative)-recognized food safety certification that provides your customers confidence in your food safety program.
Benefits of SQF Certification
Grow Customer Base and Maintain Customers
Currently, approximately 1 of 4 SQF-certified companies is requesting that their suppliers also achieve SQF certification. You may be asked in the near future to gain SQF certification to become or to remain a vendor for a particular customer. SQF certification can help you stay competitive and qualified to provide products to your current customers.
Global and national retailers and manufacturers are also demanding certification of their suppliers. SQF certification demonstrates that you are qualified to supply all organizations, which will provide more growth potential for your company.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
Globally, countries are making changes to food safety regulations, including the United States, with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FSMA was signed into law on 01/04/2011 and has given the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the way foods are grown, harvested, and processed.
FSMA establishes a mandated inspection frequency, based on risk, for all food manufacturing facilities and requires a frequency of inspection. All high-risk domestic facilities must be inspected within five years of enactment and no less than every three years thereafter.
FSMA requires certain food testing to be carried out by accredited laboratories and directs the FDA to establish a program for laboratory accreditation to ensure that U.S. food testing laboratories meet quality standards. (Establishment of accreditation program due 2 years after enactment).
For further information on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), see the following website:
SQF Code, Edition 9
Edition 9 is the current version of the Safe Quality Food Code, which was released by the Safe Quality Food Institute in October 2020.
The Safe Quality Food Institute is currently in the process of updating the code, and they are releasing Edition 10 on September 15, 2025.
The SQF Code has four (4) major goals:
Fitting the needs of industry sectors.
Ensuring the latest regulatory requirements, such as FSMA.
Encouraging continuous improvement.
Meeting requirements in the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements in GFSI V. 9.
SQF Code, Edition 10.0
Edition 10.0 of the Safe Quality Food Code is expected to be released by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) on September 15, 2025, with mandatory compliance expected by April 1, 2026.
