This publication is for food gas manufacturers and distributors developing company-specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) for qualifying or requalifying suppliers who provide, manufacture, distribute, and store food gases, food gas equipment, and services. Food gases are supplied, stored, and distributed for food applications and are used as ingredients, additives, and direct food contact processing aids.

This publication may be used when qualifying new suppliers or when requalifying existing suppliers of food gases including, but not limited to, bulk and packaged gas manufacturers of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, helium, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide.

This would include bulk to bulk supplier swaps, bulk supplier to customer, and package gas supplier to customer.

Food gases stored or distributed by facilities other than the manufacturer may also include food or beverage gas mixtures (e.g., beer, wine, modified atmosphere packaging applications).