FAQ

Certificates are valid for a period of 5 years. Before the expiry date, EHEDG will contact the certificate holder to remind them to start a renewal process in time, if desired.

Renewal applications can be submitted via the company's certification account. A re-certification application must be completed.

To ensure that the equipment meets the current requirements, or if testing is required, contact an EHEDG Authorised Evaluation Officer for further advice.

Certificates based on the EHEDG guidelines in force at the time of the certification assessment. As the EHEDG Guidelines represent the state of the art, there is always a review process in place and they are continually updated. Experience has shown that 5 years is a reasonable period to review products to ensure they are up to date.

EHEDG, in conjunction with the nominated AEO, can issue a private label certificate based on the original certificate with the same date of issue, whether the original certificate is valid for a few months or years. The 5-year renewal date will be the same as for the original certificate.

The Hygienic Design Evaluation Report for the private label product shows the list of guidelines used for the origin evaluation without any re-evaluation. However, the private label report date is the effective date of issuance of the private label certificate. No confidential information will be shared and included in the reseller certification documentation.

If there have been changes to the original product that require a new certification process, the private label certificate must also be updated, if requested. Otherwise it will be withdrawn and the certificate removed from the database.

It is not possible to have a private label certificate valid without the original certificate.

These terms are interchangeable and refer to "a method of assessing the in-place cleanability of food processing equipment" described in EHEDG Guideline 2. The test method is used as a basic screening test for hygienic design. It is used to determine if areas (or features) within a piece of equipment are “easily cleanable” by comparing the test results to that of a standard reference pipe soiled and cleaned during the same test. Due to inherent variability in the cleaning of equipment, the test must be repeated successfully at least 3 times for equipment to be eligible for certification. This test is required for equipment to be certified as Type EL Class I and EL Aseptic Class I.

All closed pieces of equipment which are installed in a pipeline, e.g. pumps, valves, and inline sensors, must be tested according to the method of EHEDG Guideline 2. This test is a screening test for hygienic design and identifies areas that may contain a crevice which can trap soil and microorganisms or are not easily cleaned due to the flow dynamics.

Closed equipment which fully comply with the hygienic design requirements can be certified without testing. Examples are pipe lines or pressure sensors without elastomeric seals.

• Both open and closed equipment used in food processing environments can be certified. A list of all EHEDG certified components is published on Certified Equipment
• Although there are no limitations on the complexity of the piece of equipment, typically only small, individual components are certified rather than large, complex machines or processing systems.
• For certification of open equipment, ALL equipment surfaces are evaluated as product contact surfaces and must meet all hygienic design criteria in relevant EHEDG guidelines.
• Currently, only closed equipment with pipe connections between 25 mm (1 in) O.D. and 75 mm (3 in) O.D. can be tested due to limitations of CIP testing.

For closed equipment components intended to be cleaned in-place (CIP) with liquids (EL CLASS I certified), only the internal, wetted surfaces/parts are evaluated and certified to meet the hygienic design criteria according to EHEDG guidelines. This means that for pumps, valves and in-line sensors; the motor, drive, actuator or frame (if present) are NOT evaluated and certified for cleanability according to EHEDG guidelines. Only the internal, product contact surfaces are evaluated and certified according to EHEDG guidelines and, if necessary, tested for easy cleanability according to EHEDG Guideline 2.

In general, all sizes of the same piece of equipment must be evaluated with a design review and CIP tested prior to certification. However, in a few instances where equipment designs are considered completely scaleable by an EHEDG AEO, testing of only one size can be used for certification of the entire range. In most instances, equipment is NOT completely scaleable. Currently, the only alternative to testing each size is to perform computational fluid dynamics modelling (CFD) of the different designs to select the size for testing that may be the most difficult to clean based on wall shear stresses and fluid exchange in critical areas. If the selected size passes CIP testing, the sizes with higher wall shear stresses and fluid exchange in critical areas may also be considered for certification and listed on the same certificate.

No. Since open equipment cannot currently be tested to ensure cleanability, open equipment intended to be cleaned with liquids can only be certified as EL Class I AUX or EL Class II. Open equipment intended to be dry cleaned only can be certified as ED Class I or Class II.

EL Class I is only for closed equipment, intended to be cleaned-in-place (CIP) with liquids, and can be CIP tested using the method of Doc. 2. EL Class I AUX is for certification of auxiliary open equipment which is intended to be cleaned-in-place with liquids but not tested. EL Class II is for equipment which is intended to be cleaned with liquids but must be disassembled or dismantled prior to cleaning.

Different elastomers may have different material properties. Experience has shown that different materials in the same mechanical design may affect the equipment cleanability. Since 2009 the certificate lists the elastomers that were CIP tested. The equipment is only certified when used with the elastomers listed on the certificate. Each elastomer listed on the certificate must be CIP tested using the method of EHEDG Guideline 2.

If the test programme was conducted after 1st January 2008 the report may still be valid for re-certification purposes if the design and materials have not been changed. Consult an AEO for review.

Valid certificates in the EHEDG database might be highlighted with a "Renewal Pending" flag if subject to renewal, but the renewal process hasn't been completed yet. To be subject to renewal, 

• The certificate must have already been expired
• An application for renewal must have been handed in on time
• The component must have successfully passed the hygienic design evaluation phase
• The component must be tested

The component might still fail the test. In this case the "Renewal Pending" flag will be withdrawn and the certificate will be removed from the database.

The use of the ‘EHEDG certified’ logo on marketing material is allowed, per the EHEDG certification contract.

EHEDG, in conjunction with the nominated AEO, will issue a revised certificate with the new name on it as a revision. The 5-year renewal date will not be reset. However, if there have been any changes to the EHEDG Hygienic Design Criteria or Test Methods a new certification procedure is required.

• EHEDG company and institute members

As an EHEDG company and institute member, you can enjoy free access to all EHEDG guidelines. Log in to the EHEDG website with your personal credentials and you will be able to download all documents in PDF.

Are you employed at an EHEDG company or institute member, but you do not have an EHEDG account yet? Please contact us at officeProtected mail-address@ehedg.org. Per our membership conditions, the number of employees that can have access to our resources depends on the membership fee tier.

• EHEDG individual members

As an EHEDG individual member, you can enjoy a 50% discount on all EHEDG guidelines. Log in to the EHEDG website with your personal credentials and the discount will be automatically applied when purchasing one of the documents.

• Non-EHEDG members

You can purchase EHEDG guidelines on the EHEDG website and on our authorised distribution partner, VDMA Verlag. As the price per unit for an EHEDG guideline is € 100 (VAT excluded), you may want to consider signing up for an EHEDG membership, to enjoy free access to all our resources and take advantage of plenty of other benefits.

The price per unit for an EHEDG guideline is € 100, VAT excluded. Pricing information can be viewed on the EHEDG guideline product page. You may want to consider signing up for an EHEDG membership, to enjoy free access to all our resources and take advantage of plenty of other benefits. Some documents, such as the EHEDG Glossary, Position Paper and the Supplementary Testing & Certification Requirements are however downloadable in PDF format at no cost, both for EHEDG members and non-members.

Yes, you can make changes to your order while it is in the shopping cart. To remove a document from the shopping cart, click on the “Remove” button placed in correspondence of the item that you no longer intend to buy. An overview of all selected items is available before finalising the purchase.

You can pay for your order with a credit card (MasterCard or Visa). No debit cards are accepted.

Prices for EHEDG guidelines ordered from the EHEDG website are expressed in Euro (EUR); purchases can only be invoiced in this currency.

Per our Terms of Use and Sale, EHEDG guidelines are non-refundable for change of mind and returns will not be accepted.

• If you haven't created an account

Once the order is confirmed, you will land on a page on our website where you can download the document(s) once. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail in your inbox, with a download link.

• If you have created an account

Once the order is confirmed, an account is created for you. The username is the e-mail that you have indicated during the purchase process. You will see it on the EHEDG’s website upper right side. Click on it and in the tab ‘My account’ you will have access to your purchased documents and related invoices.

• If you are an EHEDG company/institute member with an existing account

Log in to the EHEDG website with your personal credentials and you will be able to download the EHEDG guidelines as you go. You will see an overview of all downloaded documents also in ‘My account’.

We have capped to 3 the maximum number of downloads per document. We recommend therefore to store your personal copy on a safe device/folder. For any questions, please contact us at officeProtected mail-address@ehedg.org.

EHEDG owns the copyright of all guidelines that can be purchased from the EHEDG website and EHEDG’s authorised distribution partner, VDMA Verlag.

No. EHEDG guidelines are available as a PDF, with the name of the person who ordered the document in the page margin, who is the only rightful licensee of that publication. In the page margin the purchase date and the IP address are also indicated. Please check our Terms of Use and Sale for more information.

If an organisation is in need of several copies of the same EHEDG guideline for several employees, multiple orders need to be placed. Alternatively, the organisation may consider to register as an EHEDG company or institute member, allowing up to 100 staff members to have an EHEDG account, and the right to download a personal copy of each guideline free of charge. Please check our membership conditions.

A proposal to draft a new guideline, or to revise an existing document, should first be approved by the Sub-Committee Product Portfolio and the EHEDG Executive Committee (ExCo). If approved, the project is assigned to a dedicated Working Group. Upon formation (or re-activation) of a dedicated Working Group, guidelines are developed with a consensus-based approach. All documents are subject to a 5-year review policy. In the end of the 5-year cycle, the Working Group determines whether the guideline should be modified to meet the current industry needs, and then re-issued, or be discontinued.

Please see the overview of our Working Groups on our website. 

When having identified a topic of interest to the relevant industries, all EHEDG members are welcome to send in to the Office a new guideline or revision proposal (PDF). The topic will be subject to approval by the Product Portfolio Sub-Committee and the EHEDG ExCo.

One of the many ways you can get involved in the hygienic engineering and design world is to become an EHEDG member. It is through our global membership that we move forward on our mission to enhance food safety, food quality, productivity and sustainability. EHEDG members can indeed share their expertise in our Working Groups, responsible for drafting guidelines on a wide range of topics relevant to the whole food industry.

Apply for an EHEDG membership here.

EHEDG members can unlock several benefits.

Company and Institute members can download all EHEDG Guidelines free of charge and enjoy visibility on the international scene. They can also sharpen their competencies on the latest hygienic design topics, with reduced registration fees for our bi-annual EHEDG World Congresses and our official Fundamentals and Advanced trainings.

EHEDG individual members (students and retirees) are granted a 50% discount on the EHEDG Guidelines.

Check all EHEDG membership benefits here.

In order for a logo and other brand elements to be effective, they need to be used cohesively. We have created a practical guide that translates our organisation’s mission, vision and values into visual design. A resource for EHEDG Company and Institute members to produce all business, communications and marketing collaterals and ensure they reflect our branding.

Our digital assets can be downloaded from the tab 'Brand Identity', once logged into the EHEDG environment.

The EHEDG Office is happy to help. Please send an e-mail to officeProtected mail-address@ehedg.org

The membership will be automatically extended from one calendar year to the other one, if not cancelled in written (by e-mail to officeProtected mail-address@ehedg.org) before the 30th September of the current year. The full payment for the following year will be due when cancelling after the 30th September.

The Regional Sections are a local extension of the EHEDG. The Regional Section Chairmen organize events and promote EHEDG products. For details see Regional Development Sub-Committee

Please see the information & assessment sheet for new Regional Sections and contact the EHEDG Office in case of interest. All new Regional Sections are signing an official Bylaws agreement with EHEDG.

Membership is always with EHEDG and not with a Regional Section. See Membership for details.

The EHEDG Regional Sections are expected to be self-supporting, but can apply for an annual budget if needed.

EHEDG Hygienic Design Fundamentals Courses (1 day) provide awareness and general knowledge on hygienic design of equipment and facilities, especially for the food and beverage, but also for the cosmetical, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

EHEDG Advanced Courses on Hygienic Design (3 or 4 days) are offered from a very practical viewpoint, with modules based on different EHEDG Guidelines. Course attendees can participate in a final exam and will receive a certificate of successful completion if scoring at least 70%.

Read more here.

Members of the EHEDG Training & Education Working Group commit to developing high-quality and practically oriented training material based on the EHEDG Guidelines. The group is composed of specialists mainly from the user industries, academia, educational institutes and consultancy, with a long history of (volunteer) work within our organisation.

Please find all upcoming EHEDG training courses and registration details published here.

If the schedule does not satisfy the needs of your organisation, you can fill in this form and request a tailor-made training.

As a result of calls for experts, the Sub-Committee Product Portfolio, with concurrence of the Executive Committee, designates teams of specialists to expedite the work on behalf of EHEDG.

Working Group are responsible for:

• developing and maintaining any assigned EHEDG Guideline, certification procedure, or training material package within the designated timeframe;
• responding to inquiries pertaining to the assigned documents;
• informing the Sub-Committee Product Portfolio about the documents development/review progress;
• sharing any need for new or revised EHEDG Guidelines with the Sub-Committee Product Portfolio.

All EHEDG Company and Institute members are welcome to respond to the Calls for Experts sent by the EHEDG Head Office, by briefly outlining their educational background, professional expertise and motivation. All applications will be subject to approval by the Working Group Chair. Upon acceptance, the specialist will be granted access to all Working Group documentation and tools.