HCV Europe – a European verification and registration program for commercial food equipment from NSF International
HCV EU (HACCP Compliance Verification EU) is a voluntary registration program for commercial food equipment, developed by NSF International.
It has been developed to support two groups of stakeholders:
- Manufacturers wishing to demonstrate the hygienic safety and HACCP compliance of their equipment on the European market and to support its compliance with Regulation (EC) 1935/2004.
- Specifiers of food equipment, such as restaurants and retailers, looking for support and guidance to select food equipment in line with their HACCP plans.
What does the verification cover?
HCV verifies three aspects which are directly linked to the chemical, microbiological and physical hazards addressed by HACCP: material safety, equipment cleanability and hygienic performance.
Food contact materials: HCV requires compliance of the unit with European legal requirements: the EC1935/2004 framework.
The program includes testing to these requirements, or it can review existing test results for acceptance.
When compliance is confirmed, results also support the EC1935/2004 declaration of compliance which equipment manufacturers need to provide for their final product.
Cleanability: NSF reviews the product design based on the applicable local legislation, EN 1672 - 2, the European guideline for the design of food equipment as well as NSF’s expertise in specifying generic and universal cleanability requirements for commercial food equipment.
Performance: this aspect addresses performance requirements related to food safety, such as the capability to hold food at safe temperatures, to carry out effective cleaning in place (CIP), etc.
Products which comply will bear the HCV mark and be listed in an online database of registered products. Specifiers and end users can check the online listing and download an official registration letter if they wish. Manufacturers will be asked to confirm the continuous compliance annually.
Who can benefit from the program?
The HCV program and mark enable manufacturers of food equipment to
- Show commitment to food safety
- Have the hygienic design verified by an independent third party
- Demonstrate that their equipment is suitable for a HACCP-controlled environment
- Be listed in an online database of the provider of the most accepted and trusted commercial food certification and registration programs, increasing the brand value.
The HCV program and mark enable buyers and specifiers to:
- Find commercial food equipment to support their HACCP plan
- Independently test and review equipment during the selection process and before investing
- Be assured of the equipment’s compliance with food contact material requirements.
Moreover, equipment that is easily cleanable provides savings on cleaning costs and a longer equipment lifetime.
Resources
The HCV brochure can be downloaded from the NSF website here:
Current product listings can be found here:
A short video explaining the background and value of the HCV program can be found here:
