The 3-A Symbol
Buyer Beware: False or Misleading Claims

All equipment is not created equal and even if it were, wouldn’t you want to verify it?

Do you use or specify food processing equipment that requires meeting stringent criteria for sanitary design and fabrication? How can you tell whether such equipment meets a 3-A Sanitary Standard?

The simplest way is to look for the 3-A Symbol! See the current list of authorized 3-A Symbol Holders (PDF).

Processors around the world know and trust the 3-A Symbol and that’s why they demand it for their food processing equipment. If you are in the market for equipment or systems that come into contact with food products, you should insist on equipment that displays the 3-A Symbol.

The 3-A Symbol is a registered mark used to identify equipment that meets 3-A Sanitary Standards for sanitary design and fabrication. All equipment displaying the 3-A Symbol must pass a comprehensive, independent Third Party Verification (TPV) inspection to assure it meets the sanitary design criteria in a 3-A Sanitary Standard. Use of the 3-A Symbol is subject to specific conditions established by 3-A SSI.

Buyer Beware: False or Misleading Claims
Today literally hundreds of sellers offer food processing equipment, and many state claims such as ‘meets 3A’, ‘conforms to 3A standards,' or the equipment may include ‘3A’ in a model name or designation. Unless the supplier is an authorized 3-A Symbol holder, the buyer is solely responsible for verifying whether the equipment meets the desired (and expected) sanitary design and fabrication criteria.

3-A SSI actively monitors and addresses misuses of the 3-A Symbol by companies claiming conformance to 3-A Sanitary Standards or criteria to help protect the interest of consumers and the many authorized 3-A Symbol holders. Unfortunately, the number of suspect or misleading claims and the legal expense for obtaining prompt corrections are beyond the resources of 3-A SSI.

To assist processors, buyers or specifiers, we provide this list of the entities we have contacted to request the removal of the 3-A Symbol or correction of false or misleading claims.

View the Buyer Beware list.