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MenuTrinfo®'s Certified Free From™ program independently verifies that a product or facility is free from the major food allergens it claims, from one allergen up to all nine. Kiwa ASI auditors trained in the Certified Free From standard conduct the on-site audit, and MenuTrinfo makes the certification decision and issues the certificate and seal, so your allergen-free claims rest on audited controls instead of label wording alone.
Last updated September 30, 2026
An allergen certification specialist will reach out to discuss your products, allergens, scheduling and pricing.
Certified Free From™ is an allergen-free certification owned and run by MenuTrinfo®, a food allergy and nutrition company. It verifies that a facility has the ingredient, production, cleaning, testing and training controls to back a claim that its product is free from one or more of the nine major U.S. food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The seal on the pack shows exactly which allergens the product is certified free from.
MenuTrinfo is the certification body. It is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to ISO/IEC 17065, the international standard for product certification bodies, and describes Certified Free From as the first certification of its kind to reach that level of accreditation. Kiwa ASI auditors trained in the Certified Free From standard conduct the on-site audit, and MenuTrinfo makes the certification decision and issues the certificate and seal.
There are no FDA regulations setting conditions for a "free from" allergen claim. FDA's allergen labeling guidance says a "milk-free" claim means no milk allergen in the product, including from cross-contact. Certification gives that claim an independent, audited basis. See the allergen rules below.
Certify a product or facility free from a single allergen, such as peanuts, or from all nine. The seal names the allergens covered.
MenuTrinfo's standard applies a 5 ppm threshold to each certified allergen and 10 ppm to gluten.
MenuTrinfo, LLC is accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 (accreditation ID 1142). ANAB accredits the certification body; MenuTrinfo's Standards Committee maintains the standard.
Certified sites test regularly, report to MenuTrinfo quarterly and recertify every year, so the claim stays current after the first audit.
About 85 million Americans, 1 in 4 consumers, avoid products containing a top-9 allergen because they or someone in their household has a food allergy or intolerance (FARE, 2020). Brands that sell to them use certification to show a free-from claim has been checked.
Companies whose products are built around a free-from promise, such as nut-free snacks or top-9-free baking mixes.
Sites that make allergen-free products and want independent evidence of their cross-contact and cleaning controls.
Contract manufacturers that run free-from products for brand owners and need to show their controls to each customer.
Suppliers of retailer-brand products where the retail buyer asks the supplier to substantiate allergen-free claims.
Manufacturers making gluten-free claims to a 10 ppm threshold, or vegan claims with no animal products or by-products.
MenuTrinfo also certifies commercial kitchens and foodservice operations through its own programs. This page covers packaged food manufacturing; Kiwa ASI confirms your scope before scheduling.
A free-from claim printed on its own asks consumers to trust the label. A certified claim shows it has been audited and is monitored.
A seal naming the exact allergens covered, backed by an audit and ongoing testing, instead of a self-made "peanut-free" claim.
Independent evidence to show buyers who ask you to substantiate allergen-free claims on your products or their private-label lines.
FDA has identified undeclared allergens as a leading cause of food recalls. Audited cross-contact, cleaning and labeling controls reduce the risk.
The audit checks the same cross-contact and labeling controls FDA's Preventive Controls rule expects in 21 CFR 117.135(c)(2).
The standard requires allergen training for all staff at hire and regularly after that.
A recognized free-from seal differentiates your product for shoppers managing food allergies and intolerances.
Three MenuTrinfo programs cover the most common free-from claims on packaged food. A product can carry more than one.
Certifies a product or facility free from one to all nine major U.S. food allergens, with a 5 ppm threshold for each allergen certified.
Certifies foods at no more than 10 ppm gluten, tighter than FDA's gluten-free rule of under 20 ppm (21 CFR 101.91).
Verifies that no animal products or animal by-products are used in the product, and that it isn't tested on animals.
Certified Free From can be combined with gluten: some approved products are certified free from the top 9 and gluten. See MenuTrinfo's list of certified products.
The audit follows an allergen from the loading dock to the finished pack. The auditor reviews your allergen policies, procedures and records, walks receiving, storage, production and packaging, interviews staff, and checks that corrective and preventive actions are in place. MenuTrinfo reviews the audit and makes the certification decision.
| Area | What the auditor checks |
|---|---|
| Ingredient sourcing | Raw ingredient ordering, supplier approval and specifications, and ingredient statements for each certified allergen |
| Receiving and intake | Intake inspection, label checks and identification of incoming allergen-containing materials |
| Storage and segregation | Separation and containment of allergen-containing materials, labeled storage, spill control |
| Production and line cleaning | Scheduling, dedicated or shared equipment, changeover and line cleaning procedures, and their verification |
| Testing program | Surface testing (typically monthly), raw material and finished goods testing where your operations call for it, methods and records |
| Packaging | Packaging protocols, and labels and seals that match the allergens certified |
| Staff training | Allergen training for all staff at hire and at regular intervals, with records |
| Documentation and corrective actions | Written procedures and records, corrective and preventive actions, and how allergen incidents are handled and reported to MenuTrinfo |
Federal law sets which allergens must be declared and how they're controlled. It doesn't define a "free from" claim, which is the gap certification fills.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA, 2004) named eight major food allergens that must be declared on labels. The FASTER Act (2021) added sesame as the ninth, effective January 1, 2023.
FDA has no regulation defining a "free" claim for a major allergen. Its guidance says a "milk-free" product should contain no milk allergen, including from cross-contact, and shouldn't also carry "may contain milk."
FDA's Preventive Controls rule requires food allergen controls, protecting food from allergen cross-contact and making sure labels declare allergens, where a hazard analysis calls for them (21 CFR 117.135(c)(2)).
FDA allows "gluten-free" on foods with less than 20 ppm gluten (21 CFR 101.91). MenuTrinfo's Certified Gluten-Free program sets a tighter 10 ppm threshold.
Precautionary labels aren't a control. FDA's guidance says advisory statements such as "may contain" aren't a substitute for current good manufacturing practices or allergen preventive controls. Compare Kiwa ASI's cGMP food processing audits and SQF certification.
Start with MenuTrinfo's program pages and FDA's allergen rules. MenuTrinfo provides the current Certified Free From Scheme and Standards on request.
Food allergy facts and figures: FARE estimates about 33 million people in the U.S. have at least one food allergy.
Cost depends on how many products and allergens you certify, your facility and processes, and whether you add gluten-free or vegan. Budget across four areas:
The annual on-site audit, quoted for your facility and scope.
MenuTrinfo's certification for the allergens and programs you choose, renewed each year.
Test kits and supplies for your own surface, raw material and finished goods testing.
Allergen management training for your team (Kiwa ASI course price).
Request a quote for pricing for your products and site.
Getting certified takes 9 steps in three phases: building your allergen controls (steps 1–5), the audit and certification (6–8) and keeping the claim current (9). MenuTrinfo says the process typically takes 30 to 60 days from start to finish.
Decide which products and which of the nine major allergens you want certified, and whether to add gluten-free or vegan.
Request the current Certified Free From Scheme and Standards from MenuTrinfo, and compare your allergen controls with it.
Confirm ingredient statements and supplier specifications for every certified allergen, and set intake inspection and labeling checks.
Set segregation, storage, scheduling and line cleaning procedures, and verify that cleaning works.
Start your surface testing program, add raw material and finished goods testing where your operations need it, and train all staff on allergens.
Tell Kiwa ASI your products, allergens and site. We confirm scope and schedule, and your application goes to MenuTrinfo for review.
The auditor reviews documents and records, walks the facility from receiving to packaging, and interviews staff.
Correct any findings. MenuTrinfo reviews the audit, makes the certification decision and issues the certificate, report and seal.
Keep testing, send MenuTrinfo quarterly reports, report any allergen incident, and recertify every calendar year.
Live virtual Kiwa ASI courses for the allergen skills a Certified Free From audit depends on.
Allergen management and labeling essentials: cross-contact controls, cleaning validation, supplier controls and label review, the core of a free-from program.
4 hours · Live virtual · Instructor-led
Dates on request. Ask about upcoming dates
IHA-accredited HACCP certification, so your team can assess allergens as a hazard in your food safety plan.
16 contact hours · 4 half-days · Live via Zoom · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
The FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food course, including the food allergen preventive controls in 21 CFR 117.135(c)(2).
FSPCA V2.0 · 5 half-days · Live via Zoom · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
Need allergen training for 6+ people at your site? Ask about on-site private training.
Allergen audits from a food safety team that audits manufacturing sites every day.
Auditors trained in the Certified Free From standard who look at your whole allergen program, from ingredient ordering to packaging.
Kiwa ASI also audits food sites for SQF, cGMP and supplier programs, which helps when one site holds several certifications.
We confirm your scope, audit dates and logistics in writing and plan the audit around your production schedule.
Part of Kiwa, a testing, inspection and certification group operating in more than 30 countries.
Kiwa ASI training is delivered separately from audits and certification, and taking it has no bearing on your audit outcome.
Certified Free From™ is MenuTrinfo®'s allergen-free certification. It verifies, through an on-site audit and ongoing testing, that a product or facility is free from the major food allergens it claims, from one to all nine. The seal on the package lists the allergens the product is certified free from.
The nine major U.S. food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. You choose which to certify. A product can be certified free from a single allergen, a few, or all nine, and gluten can be added.
No. MenuTrinfo certifies products and facilities free from anywhere from one to all nine major allergens. For example, a product can be certified peanut-free only. The seal shows exactly which allergens are covered.
MenuTrinfo's standard applies a threshold of 5 ppm for each certified allergen and 10 ppm for gluten.
MenuTrinfo. Kiwa ASI auditors trained in the Certified Free From standard conduct the on-site audit, and MenuTrinfo makes the certification decision and issues the certificate and seal.
MenuTrinfo, LLC, the certification body, is accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 (accreditation ID 1142). ANAB accredits the certification body rather than the scheme. ASI Food Safety, LLC's own ANAB accreditation covers SQF and CanadaGAP, not Certified Free From.
No. FDA has no regulation setting conditions for a "free" claim for a major food allergen. Its allergen labeling guidance says a product labeled "milk-free" should contain no milk allergen, including from cross-contact, and shouldn't also carry a "may contain milk" statement. Gluten-free is the exception: FDA's rule allows the claim below 20 ppm gluten.
FDA allows a "gluten-free" label on foods with less than 20 ppm gluten (21 CFR 101.91). MenuTrinfo's Certified Gluten-Free program requires no more than 10 ppm, and adds an audit and ongoing monthly testing and quarterly reporting.
Vegan Verified™ is MenuTrinfo's vegan program. It verifies that no animal products or animal by-products are used in the product and that it isn't tested on animals. It's a verification program, separate from Certified Free From.
Ingredient sourcing and supplier specifications, receiving and intake inspection, storage and segregation, production scheduling and line cleaning, your allergen testing program, packaging, staff training, documentation and corrective actions. The auditor reviews records, walks the facility and interviews staff. See the audit areas.
Certified sites run their own testing program, which MenuTrinfo monitors. Surface testing is typically done monthly, and since the 6.0 standards (2024) raw material and finished goods testing may also be required, depending on your operations. MenuTrinfo recommends lateral flow devices paired with visual inspection. Kiwa ASI doesn't provide laboratory testing.
MenuTrinfo says the process typically takes 30 to 60 days from start to finish. Sites with documented allergen controls, cleaning verification and a testing program in place move faster.
One year. Certified sites are audited and recertified every calendar year, and between audits they keep testing and send MenuTrinfo quarterly reports. If an allergen incident occurs, MenuTrinfo is notified to investigate.
Yes. The Certified Free From standards require allergen training for all staff at hire and regularly after that. Kiwa ASI's allergen management training covers cross-contact, cleaning and labeling controls.
Certification doesn't replace your legal obligations. FDA's Preventive Controls rule still requires food allergen controls where your hazard analysis identifies them, and FDA says advisory statements such as "may contain" aren't a substitute for good manufacturing practices or allergen controls. A certified free-from product shouldn't carry a "may contain" statement for an allergen it's certified free from.
It depends on your products, the allergens and programs you certify, and your facility. Budget for the on-site audit, MenuTrinfo's annual certification, your own testing program and staff training. Call 1 (800) 477-0778 or request a quote.
Tell us your products, allergens and site, and we'll confirm your scope, quote your audit and schedule it around your production.
MenuTrinfo, LLC owns the Certified Free From standard and is the certification body. It is accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 (accreditation ID 1142). ASI Food Safety, LLC's own ANAB accreditation covers SQF and CanadaGAP, not Certified Free From. Kiwa ASI training is delivered separately from certification.