SQF, or Safe Quality Food, is a comprehensive assessment of a food manufacturing or processing facility's adherence to food safety and quality standards.
CanadaGAP is a food safety program for the fresh produce industry, based on HACCP principles. It covers good agricultural practices (GAP) for on-farm activities and good manufacturing practices (GMP) for packing and storage.
FSSC 22000 integrates ISO 22000 for comprehensive food safety management.
This certification covers multiple sectors such as food manufacturing, packaging, storage, distribution, and consumer products.
IFS Certification refers to a globally recognized certification system focused primarily on ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of products and processes.
PrimusGFS certification is a food safety standard specifically designed for the fresh produce industry. It covers various aspects of food safety, including good agricultural practices (GAP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), and food safety management systems.
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SQF (Safe Quality Food) is a GFSI-recognized food safety certification program administered by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI. Kiwa ASI audits and certifies food, packaging and supply chain sites to the SQF Food Safety Codes across the United States as an SQFI-licensed, ISO/IEC 17065-accredited certification body.
Last updated September 28, 2026
An SQF specialist will reach out to discuss scope, scheduling and pricing.
SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification is a GFSI-recognized food safety and quality program administered by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI – The Food Industry Association. It verifies that food is produced, processed and handled under a HACCP-based food safety management system. SQF isn't required by law, but many major retailers, foodservice companies and brand owners require it from their suppliers.
SQF has codes for every stage of the food chain, from farm to retail, and its primary production, manufacturing, packaging and storage and distribution codes are GFSI-recognized. Audits currently use Edition 9. See how SQF fits within GFSI certification.
SQFI published Edition 10 in March 2026. Edition 10 audits are expected to begin no earlier than January 2, 2027, pending GFSI benchmarking. The new edition strengthens requirements for food safety culture, change management and risk-based environmental monitoring, and weights audit scoring toward Core Clauses. ASI Training and Consulting offers an Edition 10 conversion course and an Edition 10 pre-assessment.
Accepted by major retailers, foodservice groups and manufacturers as evidence of an independently audited food safety system.
Sector codes cover primary production, aquaculture, food and animal product manufacturing, dietary supplements, pet food, animal feed, packaging, and storage and distribution.
Every SQF System is built on Codex HACCP, with documented prerequisite programs, a food safety plan and a primary and substitute SQF Practitioner.
Sites can add the SQF Quality Code to certify quality control and display the SQF Quality Shield on packaging.
SQF offers three programs: the SQF Fundamentals Program, the SQF Food Safety Codes and the SQF Quality Code, historically known as Levels 1, 2 and 3. Sites that supply major retailers usually need a GFSI-recognized Food Safety Code.
An entry point for small and developing businesses, offered at Basic and Intermediate levels.
The GFSI-recognized certification most retailers and brand owners ask for, with a code for each sector.
An add-on that certifies quality control and specification management alongside food safety.
Any business that grows, processes, packs, stores or distributes food, feed, pet food, dietary supplements or food packaging can be SQF certified. Each site is certified to the SQF Food Safety Code that matches its Food Sector Category.
Indoor and outdoor growing of produce, nuts, grains and sprouted seeds, plus packhouse and storage operations.
Raising and harvesting livestock and game for meat, milk and eggs, and apiculture.
Farming and harvesting fish and shellfish in controlled environments.
Dairy, bakery, snacks, beverages, confectionery, canning, produce processing, ingredients, oils and repackaging.
Slaughter, boning and butchery, manufactured meat and poultry products, and seafood processing.
Supplement manufacturing from raw material receipt through finished product packaging.
Production of food and treats for companion animals.
Feed, feed ingredients and premixes for food-producing and other animals.
Ambient, refrigerated and frozen warehousing, transport and distribution of food and packaging.
Primary and secondary packaging that contacts or contains food.
Note: Multi-activity sites may be audited against more than one code, and Kiwa ASI confirms your scope before you register with SQFI. SQF's Food Retail and Foodservice codes (Edition 8.1) are separate programs outside SQF's GFSI-recognized scope.
SQF certification helps food businesses win and keep customers while strengthening day-to-day food safety control.
Opens doors to retailers, foodservice companies and export markets that require GFSI-recognized certification from suppliers.
Systematic hazard control lowers the risk of foodborne illness, recalls and the costs that follow.
Independent, third-party certification shows buyers you take food safety seriously; certified sites may use the SQF logo under SQFI rules.
One annual SQF audit often replaces multiple second-party audits from individual customers.
Stronger sanitation, pest control, traceability and record-keeping reduce waste, rework and downtime.
SQF requires compliance with applicable food law and aligns with FSMA preventive controls, so certified sites are better prepared for FDA and USDA inspections.
An SQF audit checks two parts of your code: the Module 2 System Elements (your management system and HACCP-based food safety plan) and your sector's Good Manufacturing, Agricultural or Distribution Practices module. The auditor reviews documents and records, interviews staff, runs a traceability exercise and inspects the facility while production is running. By agreement, up to half of the audit time can be done remotely; unannounced audits are always fully on-site.
| Audit area | Key focus |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Management Commitment | Management responsibility, food safety culture, SQF Practitioners, management review, complaint management |
| 2.2 Document Control and Records | Food safety management system documentation, document control, records |
| 2.3 Specifications, Formulations, Realization and Supplier Approval | Product development; raw material, packaging, finished product and service specifications; contract manufacturers; approved supplier program |
| 2.4 Food Safety System | Food legislation, GMPs, the HACCP-based food safety plan, sampling and analysis, non-conforming product, rework, product release, environmental monitoring |
| 2.5 SQF System Verification | Validation and effectiveness, verification activities, corrective and preventive action, internal audits and inspections |
| 2.6 Product Traceability and Crisis Management | Product identification, traceability, withdrawal and recall, crisis management planning |
| 2.7 Food Defense and Food Fraud | Food defense plan, food fraud vulnerability assessment and mitigation |
| 2.8 Allergen Management | Allergen risk assessment, cross-contact control, labeling and label verification |
| 2.9 Training | Training requirements, training program and records |
| Sector module (GMP, GAP or GDP) | Site and premises, equipment, personnel hygiene, pest prevention, cleaning and sanitation, water and air, storage and transport, waste |
Every audit starts at 100 points. Each minor non-conformance deducts 1 point, each major 5 and a critical 50.
| Rating | Score | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| E – Excellent | 96–100 | Certified; recertification every 12 months |
| G – Good | 86–95 | Certified; recertification every 12 months |
| C – Complies | 70–85 | Certified; 6-month surveillance audit |
| F – Fails to Comply | 0–69 | Not certified |
Edition 10 (expected from 2027): findings against weighted Core Clauses deduct more (2 points for a core minor, 7 for a core major), and ratings become Certified (80–100), Certified with Surveillance (70–79, with a 6-month surveillance audit) or fail (below 70).
A random or infrequent failure to meet a requirement that doesn't compromise food safety but could lead to a system breakdown if not corrected.
A failure of a system element, a systemic breakdown or a serious deviation from requirements that shows a food safety risk.
A breakdown of control at a CCP, prerequisite program or process step that is likely to cause a significant public health risk or contamination, or systemic falsification of records. Fails an initial audit and suspends an existing certificate.
Corrective actions: correct every minor and major non-conformance, with a documented root cause analysis, and close it out within 30 calendar days of the audit (40 days under Edition 10). At least one recertification audit every three years is unannounced.
Free SQF Edition 9 Food Safety Code PDFs and Excel audit checklists for each GFSI-recognized sector code. Use them to check your facility against the code before your audit. Edition 10 codes are in the SQFI library of codes.
SQF certification typically costs about $6,000 in the first year for a small, well-prepared site and $25,000 or more for a larger facility that needs consulting and facility upgrades. Budget across five areas:
Paid to your certification body for the audit, report and administration. Varies with site size, number of codes, complexity and travel.
Paid directly to SQFI each year: $250 for primary production and Fundamentals sites, $650 for one manufacturing, storage or packaging code, and up to $800 for multiple codes.
HACCP training for your SQF Practitioners, plus Implementing SQF Systems and internal auditor courses for the wider team.
Gap assessments, documentation and implementation support, offered separately from certification by ASI Training and Consulting.
Building, equipment, sanitation or pest control upgrades needed to meet the code.
Audit and SQFI registration fees recur every year; training, consulting and facility costs are concentrated in year one. Request a quote for audit pricing for your site.
Getting SQF certified takes 12 steps in three phases: preparation (steps 1–6), the certification audit (7–10) and maintenance (11–12). Most first-time sites need six to twelve months. Optional gap assessments are available from ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, which operates separately from the certification body.
Download the SQF Food Safety Code for your sector, confirm your Food Sector Category and choose the program your customers require.
Register your site in the SQFI assessment database and pay the annual fee. A certification body can't schedule your audit until you do.
Name a primary and a substitute Practitioner, both employed by the site, HACCP-trained and competent to maintain your food safety plans.
Write your HACCP-based food safety plan, prerequisite programs and procedures for suppliers, allergens, traceability and training.
Put procedures into daily practice. SQFI recommends at least 90 days of records before the certification audit.
Audit every element, correct gaps and hold a management review to confirm the system works.
Choose an SQFI-licensed, accredited certification body. Kiwa ASI confirms scope, quotes and schedules around your production calendar.
One audit of your documents, records and facility while production is running. Up to half can be remote by agreement.
Correct each non-conformance with a root cause analysis within 30 days (40 days under Edition 10).
After technical review, your certificate is issued and listed in the SQFI assessment database.
Recertification audits fall within 30 days either side of your anniversary. C-rated sites also get a 6-month surveillance audit.
At least one recertification audit every three years is unannounced, within the same 60-day window.
Live virtual courses from ASI Training and Consulting, taught by experienced food safety trainers and built around SQF Code training requirements, including the Edition 10 changes.
Live virtual program covering Module 2 System Elements through your sector GMP module.
16 contact hours · 4 half-days · Live via Zoom · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
New dates coming soon. Ask about upcoming dates
Half-day workshop for current SQF Practitioners: what changed from Edition 9 and a 30-day implementation roadmap.
4 contact hours · Half day · Live via Zoom · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
New dates coming soon. Ask about upcoming dates
Develop, implement and maintain a Codex-based HACCP plan. Every SQF Practitioner must complete HACCP training.
16 contact hours · 4 half-days · Live via Zoom · 8:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
New dates coming soon. Ask about upcoming dates
Need to train 6+ people? Ask about on-site private training.
An SQFI-licensed, ANAB-accredited certification body with experienced auditors nationwide and the backing of the global Kiwa network.
ASI Food Safety, LLC is accredited by ANAB for all ten Edition 9 SQF Food Safety Codes and the SQF Quality Code.
Auditors with hands-on experience in your sector, so findings are practical and audits run efficiently.
Audits scheduled around your production calendar, with clear communication through corrective action close-out.
Offered through ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, independently of the certification body.
Part of Kiwa, a testing, inspection and certification group operating in more than 30 countries.
SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification is a GFSI-recognized food safety certification administered by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI – The Food Industry Association. An SQFI-licensed certification body such as Kiwa ASI audits your site against the SQF Food Safety Code for your sector. Certified sites are listed in the SQFI assessment database and recertify every 12 months.
SQF stands for Safe Quality Food. The SQF Program is managed by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI – The Food Industry Association, and includes the SQF Food Safety Codes, the SQF Quality Code and the SQF Fundamentals Program.
Every certified site must name a primary and a substitute SQF Practitioner. Both must be employed by the site, hold a position of responsibility for the SQF System, have completed a HACCP training course, be competent to implement and maintain HACCP-based food safety plans, and understand the SQF Code. The Practitioner maintains the system and is the auditor's main contact. HACCP training covers the core training requirement.
Most first-time sites take six to twelve months from SQFI registration to certificate. The biggest variables are how much of a HACCP-based system is already in place and how quickly documentation and training are completed. SQFI recommends at least 90 days of records showing the system is working before the certification audit.
The auditor evaluates your site against the Module 2 System Elements and your sector's GMP, GAP or GDP module: reviewing documents and records, interviewing staff, running a traceability exercise and inspecting the facility while production is running. By agreement, up to half of the audit time can be done remotely; the rest must be on-site. Recertification audits follow every 12 months.
Under Edition 9, each audit starts at 100 points: a minor non-conformance deducts 1, a major 5 and a critical 50. Scores of 96–100 rate E (Excellent) and 86–95 G (Good), with recertification every 12 months. A score of 70–85 is C (Complies): certified, with a 6-month surveillance audit. Below 70, or any critical at an initial audit, is a fail.
Edition 10 weights Core Clauses more heavily: a minor against a Core Clause deducts 2 points and a core major 7, while other minors deduct 1, majors 5 and criticals 50. Ratings become Certified (80–100, 12-month audit), Certified with Surveillance (70–79, 6-month surveillance audit) and fail (below 70). Corrective actions get 40 days instead of 30.
First-year cost typically ranges from about $6,000 for a small, well-prepared site to $25,000 or more for a larger facility that needs consulting and upgrades. It includes the certification audit fee (roughly $4,500–$9,000+), the annual SQFI site registration fee ($250–$800), training ($800–$1,300+), optional consulting ($2,500–$12,000+) and any facility improvements.
Edition 10 is the latest revision of the SQF Codes, published by SQFI in March 2026. SQFI expects Edition 10 audits to begin no earlier than January 2, 2027, pending GFSI benchmarking; until then, audits use Edition 9. The biggest changes cover food safety culture, change management, risk-based environmental monitoring and weighted audit scoring. See the Edition 10 conversion course.
All three are GFSI-recognized, so any of them can meet a customer's GFSI requirement. SQF is widely used in North America and offers an optional Quality Code. BRCGS grades sites from AA to D, with a plus for unannounced audits, and is strong in the UK and Europe. FSSC 22000 is built on ISO 22000 plus sector prerequisite programs. Choose based on your customers and sector.
No. SQF is voluntary. In practice, many U.S. retailers, foodservice distributors and brand owners require SQF or another GFSI-recognized certification before approving a supplier. SQF requires compliance with applicable food safety law, but certification does not replace FDA or USDA requirements.
SQF-certified sites receive at least one unannounced recertification audit every three years, held within the 60-day window around the certification anniversary. Sites can agree blackout periods for legitimate reasons, such as seasonal shutdowns, and can choose annual unannounced audits to be recognized as an SQFI Select Site. Unannounced audits are always fully on-site.
SQF certification runs on a 12-month cycle. Recertification audits take place within 30 days either side of the anniversary of the initial certification audit, and sites rated C (Complies) under Edition 9 also receive a 6-month surveillance audit. Missing the recertification window or corrective action deadlines can lead to suspension.
Under Edition 9, every minor and major non-conformance must be corrected, with a documented root cause analysis, and closed out within 30 calendar days of the audit. The certification body can extend deadlines for structural or seasonal fixes when interim controls are in place. Edition 10 extends the window to 40 days. A critical non-conformance fails an initial audit.
Yes. SQF-certified sites can move to another SQFI-licensed certification body. Kiwa ASI reviews your current certificate, latest audit report and any open non-conformances, then schedules your next recertification so there is no gap. Your unannounced audit schedule stays the same after a transfer. Contact US.Info@kiwa-asi.com or 1 (800) 477-0778.
No. Many sites implement SQF with their own team using the free SQF Codes and SQFI guidance. Consultants can help with gap assessments and documentation. Kiwa ASI's training and consulting are provided by ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, separately from the certification body, and using them has no effect on your audit outcome.
Tell us about your facility and we'll confirm scope, quote your audit and schedule around your production calendar.
ASI Food Safety, LLC is licensed by SQFI and accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 to deliver SQF certification audits. All consulting services are offered through ASI Training and Consulting, LLC. All activity is conducted separately from our accredited certification body, ASI Food Safety, LLC, in order to safeguard against any conflicts of interest.