Certification Methods and Procedures


In order to fulfill its responsibility of building and maintaining consumer confidence, an independent third party certification body also needs to make use of a certain "toolset.” Consumers expect this as a prerequisite before they accept the assurances of a certifier to certify products in retail stores. The "toolset" developed by CERT ID contains the following measures:

Audits of IP systems against a written standard based on ISO Certification Guidelines (ISO/IEC Certification Guide 65)

When developing the CERT ID program in 1997, it became apparent that creating a common certification standard platform method for everyone was mandatory, because consumers would not accept a non-GM assurance that was always different on a case-by-case basis. Thus all producers and products that bear the CERT ID 'Non-GMO' Seal have been certified against the same standard.

Integrated state-of-the-art GMO testing using the PCR method

One essential element of 'Non-GMO' certification is GMO testing on the basis of PCR testing. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is recognized as the standard for GMO testing to meet government and industry requirements worldwide. When performed properly, PCR tests are accurate, but laboratories can vary widely in their methods, performance and results. That is the reason why the CERT ID standard requires that labs meet quality criteria in order to be approved for certification use.

The Genetic ID^® testing technology meets these criteria. Testing services of other laboratories may also be used in CERT ID certification provided their quality standards meet the quality criteria.

Genetic ID testing is accredited throughout the EU, the U.S., Japan and many other countries. The company decided in 1999 to make its testing available with consistent quality throughout the world from member labs of the Global Laboratory Alliancesm. This globally available network of top quality PCR labs allows for speedy test results both for certification and external purposes.

Process guarantee assures low maximum GMO content (0.1%)

CERT ID issues a process guarantee for products certified as 'Non-GMO'. This type of guarantee assures industrial buyers that the certified product they intend to use in their own production comes from a system that yields output with 0.1% GMO content or less. The respective production system has been determined to be in compliance with the CERT ID Standard for the twelve-month term of certification.

The limit of 0.1% was the result of discussions between members of the food and retail industries and consumer groups, at the time the CERT ID Standard was created. It was set at the request of CERT ID's clientele and is entirely independent of any labeling thresholds set by governments, such as in Japan, the European Union and many other jurisdictions.

In the EU, for instance, the labeling threshold is currently at 0.9% GMO content.

CERT ID Database stores all testing and audit information for retrieval when needed

CERT ID stores all data collected and created relating to its certification work in its CERT ID Database. This includes files such as audit and inspection reports but also analytical lab reports.

Such storage of certification data enables CERT ID clients today to meet traceability requirements defined in Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the EU Parliament and of the Council about General Principles of Food Law, published in the EU Commission Journal on January 28, 2002.

Clients may access relevant segments of the CERT ID Database to view information related to their supplies of CERT ID materials.

The EC regulation No. 178/2002 is also available here.

Assistance to clients in case of legal or other challenges where Due Diligence and the Precautionary Principle must be demonstrated.

In situations of challenges by government authorities, media or even from consumer organizations, CERT ID will render assistance to its clients by documenting that all reasonable precautions have been taken to meet the 'Non-GMO' claim or to comply with comparable statutory threshold and/or labeling requirements.

The CERT ID Database is an extremely helpful tool in this regard.

'Non-GMO' Seal on Consumer Product

Full Certification of a product by CERT ID as 'Non-GMO' entitles the certified manufacturer, producer, or retailer for a product to display CERT ID's 'Non-GMO' Seal on the product. marketing material and advertising.

National legislation of some member states of the European Union (UK excepted) requires a special language to be displayed on a product next to the CERT ID Seal, e.g., in Germany the equivalent of "without biotechnology" (= ohne Gentechnik).

This added marketing value can be passed on to a client's customers downstream. It enables them, too, to apply for CERT ID certification and thus eventually offer private consumers 'Non-GMO' products.

Why Certify