SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food
The SQF (Safe Quality Food) Code Edition 9 (2020) is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety and quality management certification programme. Managed by the SQF Institute (a division of FMI — the Food Industry Association). Covers primary production, manufacturing, storage, distribution, and retail. Three certification levels: SQF Fundamentals (Level 1), SQF Food Safety (Level 2), and SQF Food Safety and Quality (Level 3). Applicable to all food industry sectors. Over 10,000 certified sites globally.
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Framework Domains (9)
Document Control and Training
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 2.2.1 | Configuration standards developed |
| 2.2.2 | Vendor default accounts managed |
| 2.9.1 | Food Safety Training Requirements |
| 2.9.2 | Training Program |
Food Safety Fundamentals
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SQF-11.1.1 | Site and Premises Construction (Module 11 Food Safety Fundamentals) |
| SQF-11.2.1 | Personnel Hygiene and Welfare |
| SQF-11.5.1 | Cleaning and Sanitation Program |
| SQF-11.6.1 | Pest Prevention |
| SQF-11.7.1 | Allergen Management |
Food Safety Plan and HACCP
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 2.4.1 | Food Legislation |
| 2.4.2 | Food Safety Fundamentals |
| 2.4.3 | Food Safety Plan (HACCP) |
| 2.4.4 | Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment |
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 11.1 | Establish and Maintain a Data Recovery Process |
| 11.2 | Perform Automated Backups |
| 11.3 | Protect Recovery Data |
| 11.4 | Establish and Maintain an Isolated Instance of Recovery Data |
| 11.5 | Test Data Recovery |
Management Commitment
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 2.1.1 | Requirement 2 policies and procedures |
| 2.1.2 | Roles and responsibilities for Requirement 2 |
| 2.1.3 | Food Safety and Quality Culture |
| 2.1.4 | Management Review |
| MC-1 | Senior Management Support |
| MC-2 | Compliance Culture |
| MC-3 | Dedicated Compliance Officer |
| MC-4 | Resource Allocation |
Module 12 Storage and Distribution
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SQF-12.1.1 | Storage and Distribution Module Requirements |
Product Traceability and Crisis Management
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 2.6.1 | Product Identification and Traceability |
| 2.6.2 | Product Withdrawal and Recall |
| 2.7.1 | Food Defence Plan |
| 2.7.2 | Food Fraud Plan |
| 2.8.1 | Allergen Management |
SQF System Verification
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 2.5.1 | Validation and Effectiveness |
| 2.5.2 | Verification Activities |
| 2.5.3 | Corrective and Preventive Action |
| 2.5.4 | Product Sampling, Inspection, and Analysis |
System Elements
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SQF-2.1.1 | Management Commitment and Food Safety Policy |
| SQF-2.1.2 | Management Responsibility and SQF Practitioner |
| SQF-2.2.1 | Document Control |
| SQF-2.2.2 | Records |
| SQF-2.3.1 | Specifications and Product Development |
| SQF-2.3.2 | Contract Service Providers and Manufacturers |
| SQF-2.4.2 | Food Safety Plan (HACCP) |
| SQF-2.4.3 | Food Safety and Quality Verification Activities |
| SQF-2.4.5 | Corrective and Preventive Action |
| SQF-2.4.8 | Food Defense Plan |
| SQF-2.4.9 | Food Fraud Mitigation |
| SQF-2.5.1 | Validation and Verification of Process |
| SQF-2.5.2 | Product Sampling, Inspection, and Analysis |
| SQF-2.5.4 | Product Recall and Withdrawal |
| SQF-2.6.1 | Product Identification |
| SQF-2.6.2 | Product Trace |
| SQF-2.7.1 | Training Requirements |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food, you already cover:
CIS Controls v8
15%
8 controls mapped
Compare →AS9100D — Aerospace Quality Management System
15%
8 controls mapped
Compare →ISO/IEC 27003:2017
15%
8 controls mapped
Compare →+ 627 more: AS9100D:2016 — Quality Management Systems for Aviation, Space, and Defence (15%), NIST SP 800-171A Rev 3 — Assessing CUI Security Requirements (13%)
See all 630 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 630 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food?
SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food is a compliance framework from International (GFSI-benchmarked) with 9 domains and 53 controls. The SQF (Safe Quality Food) Code Edition 9 (2020) is a GFSI-benchmarked food safety and quality management certification programme. Managed by the SQF Institute (a division of FMI — the Food Industry Association). Covers primary production, manufacturing, storage, distribution, and retail. Three certification levels: SQF Fundamentals (Level 1), SQF Food Safety (Level 2), and SQF Food Safety and Quality (Level 3). Applicable to all food industry sectors. Over 10,000 certified sites globally. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food have?
SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food has 53 controls organised across 9 domains. The largest domains are System Elements (17 controls), Management Commitment (8 controls), Food Safety Fundamentals (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food map to?
SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food maps to 630 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are CIS Controls v8 (15% coverage), AS9100D — Aerospace Quality Management System (15% coverage), ISO/IEC 27003:2017 (15% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with SQF Code Edition 9 — Safe Quality Food compliance?
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