Swirl Freeze is NSF- and ETL-Listed — What Does This Mean?

If you’ve spent a little time on the Swirl Freeze site planning the perfect milkshake or shopping for your very own frozen dessert maker, then by now you’ve probably heard that every one of our products is certified (or listed) by a couple of fancy acronyms: NSF and ETL.

Since the average person doesn’t know the NSF from the NFL, today, we want to dive a little deeper into what these certifications mean — and why it’s important that we have them! Read on to learn more about how we make our commercial ice cream and yogurt makers as safe and efficient as possible, and be sure to contact us to learn how you can purchase a Swirl Freeze machine for your food business today!

NSF International: Superior Sanitation

First, let’s go over what it means to be NSF-certified (also known as being NSF-listed).

Meeting the Need for Quality Testing

NSF stands for National Sanitation Foundation: an organization that was founded back in 1944. At this time, the United States lacked standardized sanitation guidelines or laws, and as a result, products were not held to any national sanitation standards. As you can imagine, this was a problem. Consumers were not protected against poor sanitation in food service products, particularly soda fountains and luncheonette equipment.

In an effort to promote better food safety and improve national public health, the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health established the National Sanitation Foundation to standardize sanitation guidelines and food safety requirements. They started with commercial food equipment like soda machines, but before long, they were creating safety and sanitation standards and implementing product testing programs across a range of industries.

Eventually, NSF expanded their services and became a powerhouse global health and safety organization. They officially changed their name to NSF International in 1990.

A Global Leader in Public Health

Today, NSF is a respected leader in sanitation and public health that employs more than 1,000 microbiologists, engineers, chemists, toxicologists, and environmental professionals across 170 countries.

They have more than 140 active independent testing protocols in place to test products ranging from home water treatment systems to kitchen appliances to commercial frozen yogurt machines.

NSF is recognized as a Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality, and Indoor Environment by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization.

Look for the NSF Mark

Products that earn the NSF mark of approval are said to be NSF-certified or NSF-listed, and they represent technical excellence in public health and safety. This means that the product adheres to the strictest standards of sanitation and has gone through extensive product testing, material analysis, unannounced plant inspections, and more.

Earning an NSF certification is not a one-time event. It requires regular on-site inspections of manufacturing facilities and continuous product testing.

Like NSF, Swirl Freeze is committed to protecting and improving human health wherever our products go — that’s why we’re proud to bear the NSF certification mark on all of our commercial blending machines!

ETL Intertek: Certified Safety

Every Swirl Freeze machine is ETL-listed. What does this mean?

ETL Began With Thomas Edison

After the lightbulb was invented, there was an obvious need for safety standards to make sure this newfangled electrical technology could be widely used. So, in 1896, Thomas Edison started the “Lamp Testing Bureau,” which was later renamed to “Electrical Testing Laboratories” (ETL).

Today, ETL tests for Standards of Safety across a wide range of electronic products and components.

Testing Against Widely Accepted Safety Standards

Today, ETL operates under Intertek Testing Laboratories, an OSHA-recognized NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory). Intertek is a trusted independent third-party organization that specializes in safety standards for products that are powered by gas, oil, or electricity.

It’s important to note that unlike NSF, which sets their own safety standards through rigorous scientific research and technical testing, ETL does not create safety standards. Instead, they test products against the published standards of a list of NRTLs, including:

ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
CSA (Canadian Standards Association)
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
And more

Certifying Safe Electrical Products

If a product is ETL-listed, it means that it has been tested at an ETL laboratory and meets all applicable Standards for Safety which have been published by the relevant NRTLs.

We are proud to meet ETL’s wide range of safety standards, and the team at Swirl Freeze is fully committed to continued safety for every one of our products.

Enjoy Peace of Mind With Your Swirl Freeze Machine!

So, what do NSF and ETL certifications mean for you? When you purchase a Swirl Freeze all-in-one frozen dessert maker, you can be confident that you’re getting a product that complies with the strictest safety and sanitation standards. We’re proud to offer peace of mind so that you can focus on more important things: what kind of desserts you want on the menu!

The Swirl Freeze machine is a yogurt machine, ice cream dispenser, and malt machine all in one! Select from a variety of bases and mix-in toppings to create a completely one-of-a-kind dessert every time. Cleaning between creations is made easy with our innovative rinse cyclone feature, which clears out the mixing cone in no time at all so you’re ready for your next customer!

You can pick some favorites to put on your menu, or have your customers create their own unique dessert every time. Keep them coming back with the Swirl Freeze!