NSF Intl. recently announced that the World Health Organization has renewed NSF’s status as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, NSF provides assistance to WHO and member states on matters related to food safety, water quality, indoor environment and related public health issues.

NSF Intl. recently announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has renewed NSF’s status as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, NSF provides assistance to WHO and member states on matters related to food safety, water quality, indoor environment and related public health issues. NSF’s extensive work within the food, water and environmental sectors led to its role as a WHO Collaborating Centre.

A Collaborating Centre is designated to form part of an international network supporting WHO’s mandate for international health. NSF provides WHO expertise on food safety, drinking water safety and treatment technology, and indoor environment guidance. This includes offering developing countries training and support to strengthen their food, water and indoor air resources and helping WHO respond to national public health agencies, industry and consumers.

  Originally designated in 1996, this is the second renewal of the NSF/WHO Collaborating Centre that has helped WHO deliver on its public health mission. NSF Intl. has been a WHO Collaborating Centre for Drinking Water since 1996, with recognition for Food Safety added in 1997 and Indoor Environment in 2003. NSF received the designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre because of NSF's independent, not-for-profit status; global presence; and its support for WHO in the past.

Additional projects with WHO have included the following:

* Symposium and monograph on Heterotrophic Plate Counts and Drinking Water Safety in 2003.
* NSF/WHO Drinking Water Risk Management Strategies Conference in 2004.
* International Symposium on the Health Aspects of Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking Water in 2006.
* Food Safety Education Conference – “Reaching At-Risk Audiences” and “Today's Other Food Safety Challenges” also in 2006.
* WHO Guidelines Document development in the 3rd edition of WHO Drinking Water Guidelines
   - Recreational Waters Guidelines
   - Chemicals Used in Desalination Processes
   - Fruits and Vegetables Eaten Raw
   - Airline Water Sanitation
   - NSF employees have been stationed at WHO in Geneva and Brussels for the last two years, working directly with WHO staff on airline water sanitation and water safety plans.

According to Stan Hazan, Senior Director of NSF’s Regulatory Affairs and Association Programs, “Future initiatives with WHO will include development of the 4th edition of WHO Drinking Water Guidelines, completion of the airline water sanitation guidelines, promotion of WHO’s 5 Keys to Food Safety Systems, the development of a certification program for water treatment technologies, and cooperation on the 2009 NSF/USDA Food Safety Education Conference to be held in Atlanta in 2010.”