China · Certification
HACCP certification in China
Achieve HACCP certification in China with Sterling: 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries, 20+ years.
- Accredited certification
- Shanghai office team
- Effivity software included
- Academy training included
Who asks for HACCP in China
Clients include
HACCP certification in China at a glance
One Chinese instrument bears on HACCP. It does not name the standard. So why do buyers in China keep asking for the certificate?
HACCP has its own national standard in China. GB/T 27341-2009 sets the general requirements for HACCP systems in food production enterprises, and CNAS, the national accreditation body, lists HACCP certification bodies as a distinct accreditation field, separate from ISO 22000. That gives smaller processors a recognised, accredited certificate built on the seven HACCP principles, prerequisite programmes and verified critical control points, without taking on a full management system at once. Certification is granted by a certification body approved by CNCA after an on-site audit of the plan and the records behind it: monitoring logs, corrective actions, calibration and verification testing. Exporters and suppliers to food-service and retail chains often treat it as the first step towards ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000. Sterling's Shanghai office runs the hazard analysis with the production team, writes the HACCP plan and prerequisite programmes, trains the HACCP team and prepares the site for audit, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included.
Who needs HACCP in China, and what happens without it
In China the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.
- Food production enterprisesGB/T 27341-2009 sets HACCP system requirements for food production enterprises.
- Food exporters and suppliers to food-service and retail chainsBuyers commonly ask for HACCP certification or an equivalent food safety system.
- Smaller processors building towards ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000HACCP certification is a first recognised step.
Not sure which of these applies to you?Answer a short set of questions and your readiness report arrives by e-mail.
Take the HACCP readiness checkHACCP requirements in China
Strip away the vocabulary and HACCP asks a food business to prove six things about how it controls food safety hazards.
In China these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: HACCP explained →
How to get HACCP certified in China
One team from the Shanghai office carries the work from scoping to certificate. Delivery from the Shanghai office, on-site across mainland China as the scope requires; remote delivery for distributed teams.
- Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
- Gap assessment against HACCP and the Chinese requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
- Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
- Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before the certification body arrives.
- Certification body stage 1 and stage 2, then surveillanceAn accredited body audits and decides. Sterling supports the audits and the three-year cycle.
- End to end, from one team
- Effivity ISO & GRC software
- Preferential Sterling Academy access, with complimentary awareness training for your people
- Internal auditor training for your audit team, as applicable to your standard
- Vulnerability assessment on ISMS engagements
The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.
How long does HACCP certification take in China?
There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In China these are the factors that set the timeline.
- Number of products, lines and critical control points
- State of prerequisite programmes
- Monitoring and verification records available
- Certification body scheduling around the Spring Festival peak
Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.
How much does HACCP certification cost in China?
The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the certification body’s audit fees, which are quoted separately. In China these factors move both.
- Number of sites and product categories
- Hygiene and infrastructure upgrades
- Certification body audit fees, quoted separately from consulting
- Laboratory testing for verification
Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.
HACCP consultants and certification bodies in China
Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; an accredited certification body then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.
- Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers HACCP and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
- Ask the consultant how the local requirements in China are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
- Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
- Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.
Laws and regulations that drive HACCP in China (3)
| Instrument | How it treats the standard |
|---|---|
| GB/T 27341-2009 Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system — General requirements for food production enterprises | National standard Current recommended national standard for HACCP systems in food production enterprises. |
| CNAS accreditation of HACCP certification bodies (CNAS-CC01, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 IDT) | Market driver Accredited certification for this field is available through China's national accreditation body; no mandate ; listed by CNAS as a separate accreditation field. |
| Regulations on Certification and Accreditation (State Council Decree No. 390) | Does not name the standard Governs who may certify: only CNCA-approved certification bodies; foreign representative offices may not certify. |
Accreditation, audit language and remote audits in China
HACCP certification in China is carried out by CNCA-approved certification bodies; CNAS lists HACCP certification bodies as a distinct accreditation field. Check the body's approval and accreditation scope. No body is named here unless verified. Edition and transition details: HACCP hub →
Audit language
Chinese and English audits are both available from certification bodies operating in China; agree the audit language and the certificate language at application.
Remote and on-site
Food sites are audited on-site.
HACCP in China: questions clients ask
Is there a Chinese national HACCP standard?
Yes. GB/T 27341-2009, the Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system — General requirements for food production enterprises, is the current recommended national standard for HACCP in food production. It is a recommended standard, not a mandate, so ask your customer or certification body whether they expect it as the audit reference.
Is HACCP certification accredited in China?
Yes. CNAS lists HACCP certification bodies as a separate accreditation field, so accredited certification is available through China's national accreditation body. Nothing makes it mandatory. Whichever body you pick, look at its accreditation scope and confirm that HACCP appears in it before you commit.
HACCP or ISO 22000?
The choice depends on what your customer asks for. HACCP certification covers the hazard control plan, while ISO 22000 adds a full management system around it. If the buyer names one or the other in its supplier requirements, follow that; if it does not, ask which it prefers before you scope the work.
More on HACCP for Chinese organisations
Other standards Chinese businesses ask Sterling for
Organisations in China often combine HACCP with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.
Start with a free discovery call from the Shanghai office
A Sterling consultant goes through your entities, your regulators and your target date with you. No proposal until the scope is agreed.
Sources
- GB/T 27341-2009 Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system — General requirements for food production enterprises — std.samr.gov.cn (accessed 5 Oct 2026)
- CNAS accreditation of HACCP certification bodies (CNAS-CC01, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 IDT) — cnas.org.cn (accessed 5 Oct 2026)
- Regulations on Certification and Accreditation (State Council Decree No. 390) — gov.cn (accessed 5 Oct 2026)
- China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) — cnas.org.cn (accessed 5 Oct 2026)
- Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNCA) — the State Council's certification and accreditation supervision and administration department — gov.cn (accessed 5 Oct 2026)
Talk to a consultant
Plan your certification with the Shanghai team.
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
china@sterling-grc.com+1 201 263 4443 (global headquarters) · your nearest office and its number are at the top of this page
What would you like to achieve?
Choose a starting point. The enquiry form takes about a minute.
Book my free discovery callContinue to the enquiry form to share your details. Please do not include passwords, sensitive personal information or confidential files. A Sterling consultant replies within one working day. Privacy notice