United States · Certification
HACCP certification in the United States
Achieve HACCP certification in the US with Sterling: 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries, 20+ years.
- Accredited certification
- New York office team
- Effivity software included
- Academy training included
Who asks for HACCP in the US
Clients include
HACCP certification in the US at a glance
FSIS HACCP regulation (9 CFR Part 417) is the instrument itself: it applies to the organisations within its scope, and buyers and partners in the US ask for evidence that you meet it.
HACCP is law, not just good practice, for three parts of the American food industry. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service requires every meat and poultry establishment to develop and implement a written HACCP plan wherever its hazard analysis finds hazards reasonably likely to occur (9 CFR Part 417); FDA requires the same of seafood processors (21 CFR Part 123) and juice processors (21 CFR Part 120). Other food facilities fall under FDA's preventive controls rule, which uses a hazard analysis and a written food safety plan. Regulatory compliance is checked by the inspecting agency; separate HACCP certification, which buyers sometimes request, is issued by a certification body, so choose one accredited for the scope. Processors, co-packers, cold stores and food-service suppliers are typical clients. Sterling's New York office builds the hazard analysis, the plan, and the monitoring and verification records, and trains the HACCP team, with Sterling Academy and Effivity included. Questions follow.
Who needs HACCP in the US, and what happens without it
In the US 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.
- Meat and poultry establishmentsFSIS requires a written HACCP plan where hazards are reasonably likely to occur.
- Seafood and juice processorsFDA requires written HACCP plans.
- Other human food facilitiesFDA preventive controls require hazard analysis and a food safety plan.
- Food-service suppliers and co-packersBuyers may ask for HACCP certification from a certification body.
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 the US
Strip away the vocabulary and HACCP asks a food business to prove six things about how it controls food safety hazards.
In the US 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 the US
One team from the New York office carries the work from scoping to certificate. Delivered from the New York office across the US, with remote delivery for teams in other time zones and on-site work as agreed.
- Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
- Gap assessment against HACCP and the US 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 the US?
There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In the US these are the factors that set the timeline.
- Number of products, processes and lines
- Existing hazard analysis and records
- Training of the HACCP team
- Agency or buyer audit timing
Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.
How much does HACCP certification cost in the US?
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 the US these factors move both.
- Number of products and processing categories
- Verification and validation studies
- Certification body fees (where certification is sought) separate from consulting
- Monitoring equipment and record-keeping
Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.
HACCP consultants and certification bodies in the US
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 the US 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 the US (3)
| Instrument | How it treats the standard |
|---|---|
| FSIS HACCP regulation (9 CFR Part 417) | Requires Written HACCP plan for meat and poultry establishments. |
| FDA seafood HACCP (21 CFR Part 123) and juice HACCP (21 CFR Part 120) | Requires Written HACCP plan for processors. |
| FDA preventive controls for human food (21 CFR Part 117) | Related Hazard analysis and written food safety plan for other facilities. |
Accreditation, audit language and remote audits in the US
Regulatory HACCP compliance is verified by the inspecting agency (FSIS or FDA). Separate HACCP certification, where buyers request it, is issued by a certification body; choose one accredited for the scope. No body is named here unless verified. Edition and transition details: HACCP hub →
Audit language
Audits are conducted in English; agree the audit and document language with the certification body at application.
Remote and on-site
Remote audit elements are at the certification body's discretion under its accreditation rules; operational sites are normally visited on-site.
HACCP in the US: questions clients ask
Is HACCP mandatory in the US?
Yes for some products. A written HACCP plan is mandatory for meat and poultry establishments under 9 CFR Part 417, and for seafood and juice processors under 21 CFR Parts 123 and 120, wherever the hazard analysis finds hazards reasonably likely to occur. Other foods fall under different rules, so confirm yours with the agency.
Who checks HACCP compliance?
For mandatory HACCP, the inspecting agency does: FSIS for meat and poultry, the FDA for seafood and juice. Certification bodies enter the picture only for voluntary certification, typically when a buyer asks for it. Keep your plan and records ready for either kind of check.
Is HACCP certification the same as FSSC 22000?
No, they are different schemes. FSSC 22000 is a GFSI-recognised scheme that builds on ISO 22000, whereas HACCP certification, where a buyer requests it, is issued by a certification body against the HACCP principles. A buyer who names FSSC 22000 will not usually treat a HACCP certificate as a substitute, so ask which one it wants.
More on HACCP for US organisations
Other standards US businesses ask Sterling for
Organisations in the US often combine HACCP with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.
Start with a free discovery call from the New York office
A Sterling consultant goes through your entities, your regulators and your target date with you. No proposal until the scope is agreed.
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Plan your certification with the New York team.
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
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