NSF International Opens NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory in China to Support Increasing Demand for Testing and Certification Services

SHANGHAI, February 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- The NSF Shanghai Laboratory will provide testing services for food equipment, dietary supplements and ingredients, and consumer product industries throughout Asia

NSF International, a global not-for-profit public health and safety organization, has opened its new NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory in Shanghai, China, expanding its services in Asia to include testing in the areas of food equipment, dietary supplements and ingredients, and consumer products. Additionally, the facility and staff will provide on-site training in the areas of food safety, pharmaceutical, medical device and dietary supplement manufacturing.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/NSFLSLOFO)

The NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory (full name NSF Shanghai Testing Technology Company) will complement NSF's existing certification services in China and provide companies with a means to source safer products, raw materials and ingredients from Asia through independent, third-party testing and certification.

The NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory will work in harmony with NSF Shanghai Co., Ltd., a joint venture NSF International established with the Shanghai Audit Centre of Quality System (SAC) in 2005 and is approved by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNCA). Manufacturers and suppliers in China require independent system registration and product certification in order to access international markets. NSF helps companies navigate the global marketplace and bridge Western companies with the Asia market.

The new NSF Shanghai Testing lab will provide testing capabilities that can then be used by the NSF Shanghai Co., Ltd. joint venture to support product certification for companies in China making food equipment, dietary supplements and other consumer products. This certification helps companies streamline the import/export process. The NSF Shanghai Co, Ltd. joint venture also offers management systems certifications (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949), and global food safety certification.

"NSF International is pleased to bring its testing and technology services to China and Asia. The combination of Asia's growing export market and the need to ensure the safety and quality of raw materials, ingredients, consumer products and food creates a greater demand for third-party testing and certification services from a reputable organization like NSF International," said Lori Bestervelt, Ph.D., NSF International Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer. "The opening of the NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory will help companies in Asia ensure the quality of their materials, demonstrate compliance with international public health standards, and conserve resources by eliminating the need to ship product to the U.S. for testing."

NSF Shanghai Laboratory Testing Services

The new NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory will offer chemical analysis and engineering evaluation (http://bit.ly/fEZC4t) services in support of NSF's certification programs. It also will offer test-only services. The current services include:

    
    - Food Equipment testing: Food equipment will be tested and evaluated to
      U.S. and international standards for sanitation, product design and
      construction, material safety, and performance.

    - Dietary supplements and ingredients, food and food ingredient testing,
      pharmaceutical testing and excipients testing: Dietary supplements and
      ingredients will be tested for pesticide residues, heavy metals (e.g., 
      lead, cadmium) and other trace contaminants and to verify raw 
      ingredient identification, including botanicals. Food and food 
      ingredients will be tested for contaminants, identity testing and more.
      Excipients (filling materials) used to manufacture dietary supplements,
      pharmaceuticals and food ingredients will be tested for heavy metal and
      other trace contaminants.

    - Consumer product testing: Consumer products (such as food storage
      containers, cutlery and glassware, and small appliances) will be tested
      and evaluated according to NSF protocols and international standards to
      verify the safety of materials used to manufacture the product; quality
      and performance. This testing confirms product durability and verifies
      that the product will perform as claimed on its packaging.

NSF Shanghai Training Programs for Food Safety, Dietary Supplements and Pharmaceutical Industries

NSF Shanghai will now offer comprehensive onsite training programs for the food and health sciences industries, including the following programs:

    
    - HACCP Training: To help companies with their food safety efforts, NSF
      International offers food safety training such as Hazard Analysis and
      Critical Control Points (HACCP) for food growers, producers, 
      distributors and retailers.

    - GMP, GLP, Quality and Regulatory Compliance Training: Training programs
      that focus on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Laboratory 
      Practices (GLP), quality and regulatory compliance are offered for the 
      pharmaceutical, medical device and dietary supplement manufacturing 
      industries.

NSF Shanghai Laboratory Features Sustainable Design Elements

Developed with the environment in mind, the new NSF International Shanghai Testing Laboratory is furnished with NSF certified sustainable carpeting and NSF certified countertop sinks. The lab uses energy efficient lighting and features built-in recycling receptacles for paper, plastic, and aluminum. Additionally, environmentally safe "green" cleaning compounds will be used.

NSF Shanghai Leadership

The new NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory, which employs chemists, engineers and professional staff, is led by Laboratory Manager Ms. Dongjing Liu. In this role, Ms. Liu will manage the laboratory's testing services, and ensure the laboratory maintains key accreditations such as ISO 17025 (testing and calibration) and other accreditations from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). Ms. Liu has over 10 years of experience in management, chemistry and pharmaceuticals and is fluent in Mandarin, English and German. She previously led the Chemical Laboratory for TUV Rheinland in Shanghai. She holds a master's degree in chemistry from Osnabrueck University in Germany and a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical chemistry from Peking University in Beijing, China.

NSF Shanghai Co, Ltd, the NSF International joint venture with the Shanghai Audit Centre of Quality Systems (SAC), which will work closely with the NSF Testing Laboratory, is led by Alex Zhang. Mr. Zhang facilitates certification services for companies in China and has over 15 years of business experience in China. He earned his master's and bachelor's degrees in applied mechanics from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Note to Editors: To schedule an interview with an NSF International expert or for more information on NSF International's operations in China, please contact Greta Houlahan at +1-734-913-5723 or houlahan@nsf.org. More information about NSF International can be found on their website in English (http://bit.ly/i29szg) and Chinese (http://bit.ly/foqQSJ).

High-resolution images of the NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory are available at http://www.nsf.org/info/gallery.

About NSF International: NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (www.nsf.org). Founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.

Now operating in more than 120 countries, NSF's programs include testing, certification and safety audits for the food and water industries, certification and banned substance screening for the dietary supplement and functional food industries, pharmaceutical training and testing, toy and consumer product testing, and environmental sustainability services include sustainable production certification and environmental claims verification. Additional services include NSF Education and Training, and management systems registrations (ISO) through NSF International Strategic Registrations Ltd.

NSF Shanghai Co., Ltd., a joint venture between NSF International and the Shanghai Audit Centre of Quality System (SAC), was established in 2005 and provides independent registration and product certification services. The NSF Shanghai Testing Technology Company (NSF Shanghai Testing Lab) opened in February 2011 and provides product testing for the food equipment, dietary supplement, food, pharmaceutical and consumer products industries.