Maintenance and Enhancement of the Scope of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Food Laboratories

Florida State Dept Of Agric/Consum Srvcs, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Food Safety, Bureau of Food Laboratories achieved accreditation in 2007, and maintains A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for the specific tests listed in A2LA certificates 2534.01 and 2534.02 (available at www.A2LA.org). The Division of Food Safety is responsible for assuring the public of a safe, wholesome and properly represented food supply through permitting and inspection of food establishments, inspection of food products, and performance of specialized laboratory analyses on a variety of food products sold or produced in the State. The Division monitors food from farm gate through processing and distribution to the retail point of purchase. The Division is charged with administration and enforcement of the food and poultry and egg laws, and also provides support in the enforcement of other food safety laws. In addition to regulatory surveillance and enforcement, the Division evaluates consumer complaints related to food. The Division has the responsibility for carrying out its duties or support functions as directed by the following Florida Statutes Chapters: 500, 501, 502, 503, 531, 583, 586, and 601. As the primary regulatory food testing laboratory for Florida the FDACS Food Laborartories work with our Department's Bureau of Food Inspection to conduct microbiological and chemical food analyses on behalf of the state?s manufactured food regulatory programs (MFRPS). These analyses are conducted within the scope of our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. The FDACS Bureau of Food Laboratories is applying for the cooperative agreement titled: ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation for State Food Testing Laboratories, announcement number RFA-FD-17- 010, with anticipation of funding from 2017 through 2019 for maintaining accreditation and performing enhancements to the accredited laboratory system. The Food Laboratories has actively participated in the project titled Maintaining and Enhancing Accredtiation at the Florida Bureau of Food Laboratories under current grant number 5U18FD004474-05 continuosly since 2012. The FDACS Bureau of Food Laboratories is willing and able to participate in this opportunity, and is fully committed, to increase the analytical capacity of our nation's food testing regulatory laboratory under accreditation, increase our ability to share laboratory results to promote earlier identification and regulatory response to adulterants in the food supply, advancement of a nationally integrated food safety system, and thereby enhance efforts to protect the food supply and work toward ensuring the public's health. FDACS Food Laboratories are active participants in the FERN programs and are currently one of the FDA FERN CAP laboratories under grant number 1U18FD005506.