subpart_subject: "Accreditation of Third-Party Certification Bodies To Conduct Food Safety Audits and To Issue Certifications"
section_number: "1.642"
section_subject: "What competency and capacity must a third-party certification body have to qualify for accreditation?"
cfr_reference: "21 CFR 1.642"
title_name: "Title 21"
title_subject: "Food and Drugs"
parts_covered: "Parts 1 to 99"
revised_date: "Revised as of April 1, 2019"
publication_date: "As of April 1, 2019"
contains_description: "Containing a codification of documents of general applicability and future effect"
publication_info: "Published by the Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Administration as a Special Edition of the Federal Register"
---
A third-party certification body seeking accreditation must demonstrate that it has:
(a)The resources necessary to fully implement its certification program, including:
(1)Adequate numbers of employees and other agents with relevant knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively examine for compliance with applicable FDA food safety requirements of the FD&C Act and FDA regulations, conformance with applicable industry standards and practices, and issuance of valid and reliable certifications; and
(2)Adequate financial resources for its operations; and
(b)The competency and capacity to meet the applicable requirements of this subpart, if accredited.