Framework Quality & Manufacturing
SQF
SQF (Safe Quality Food) is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety and quality certification program run by the Safe Quality Food Institute, part of FMI (the Food Industry Association). It is the most common GFSI scheme in North America.
The SQF Code has separate modules for primary production, food manufacturing, storage and distribution, packaging manufacturing, food retail, foodservice, and quality.
SQF Edition 9 has been the audit basis since 2021; SQFI released SQF Edition 10 in March 2026 and expects the first Edition 10 audits to begin around January 2027 once GFSI benchmarking completes (verify the mandatory date with SQFI).
In writing, the Code expects management commitment through a food safety policy and objectives, a designated SQF practitioner, a HACCP-based food safety plan, document and record control, specifications and supplier approval, product identification and traceability with a recall plan, food defense and food fraud plans, an allergen program, environmental monitoring, crisis management, internal audits, and a food safety culture plan.
Audits produce a score and a rating (Excellent, Good, Complies, Fails), and the rating sets whether surveillance is announced or unannounced.
Who has to comply
Voluntary, but required by most major US retailers, foodservice distributors, and many manufacturers of their suppliers. Certification is site-specific and module-specific.
What the assessor asks to see
SQF practitioner appointment and training; food safety policy, objectives, and management review; food safety plan (HACCP) with validation; prerequisite programs mapped to the relevant module; document and record control; specifications for raw materials, packaging, and finished products; supplier approval and monitoring; traceability and mock recall results; crisis management plan; food defense and food fraud assessments and plans; allergen management; environmental monitoring program and results; sanitation procedures and verification; pest control; calibration; training records and food safety culture plan; internal audit and corrective action records; previous audit report and closed corrective actions; product labeling controls; where the Quality Code is included, quality plan and process capability records.
Where the requirement sits: SQF Code system elements 2.1 (management commitment, policy), 2.2 document control and records, 2.9 training
Edition 10 transition
SQFI published SQF Edition 10 in early March 2026 after delaying it to align with the updated GFSI benchmarking timeline. SQFI has said Edition 10 audits could begin as early as January 2027, roughly nine months after publication, with Edition 9 remaining the audit basis until then.
Sites should confirm the mandatory switch-over date on the SQFI site and with their certification body, and plan to update the food safety plan, food safety culture elements, and any module-specific changes before their first Edition 10 audit.
What AllyMatter does here
Document control and communication layer of the SQF system elements.
AllyMatter publishes this site.
Assessors
Who assesses SQF
SQFI-licensed certification bodies accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 for the SQF program, using SQFI-registered auditors. Accredited by Accreditation bodies licensed by SQFI (such as ANAB and other recognized bodies), which assess certification bodies annually against ISO/IEC 17065 and the SQF program requirements.
Public register of assessors: https://www.sqfi.com/directories/certification-body-directory
No firm has claimed a SQF assessor listing yet. Claim yours →
Consultants
Who helps with SQF
A very active consultant ecosystem exists, including SQF-registered consultants listed by SQFI and licensed training centers for the SQF practitioner course. Consultants build the SQF system, write the food safety plan and prerequisite programs, train the practitioner, run desk and mock audits, and support closing findings within the required window.
Engagements typically run four to nine months.
Firms that name this framework in their own material. Listings we have not verified yet come from public filings and partner lists. Each firm can confirm its own.
No firm has claimed a SQF consultant listing yet. Claim yours →
Software
Tools for SQF
Tools that name this framework in their own material.
Related reading
- SQF Edition 10 FAQThe scheme owner's answers on Edition 10 timing, the revised scoring model and the new food safety culture and change management clauses.SQFI
- Comparing GFSI-benchmarked certifications for your businessSets SQF against BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and IFS so you can see why a customer asked for this scheme specifically.NSF
- Understanding GFSI and the differences between FSSC 22000, SQF, BRCGS and IFSExplains that GFSI benchmarks rather than certifies, and how scoring, grading and unannounced audits differ between the schemes.SGS
Independent third-party explainers, chosen by hand. Not affiliated with this site and not paid placements. All links are nofollow.
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From the publisher
Run the Policy Side of SQF in AllyMatter
Approve the policies SQF asks for, keep every version, and record a named acknowledgment from each person who has to read them.