Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation and Whole Genome Sequencing for State Food Testing Laboratories

Connecticut State Dept Of Public Health, Hartford CT

Investigators

Abstract

Connecticut Department of Public Health State Laboratory Project Summary: Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Accreditation and Whole Genome Sequencing for State Food Testing Laboratories RFA-FD-17-010 The Connecticut State Public Health Laboratory (CTSPHL) has applied (submitted an application) for and been audited by the AIHA-LAP, LLC for ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (ISO) accreditation for the microbiological examination of produce by its food testing section. The CTSPHL is seeking this grant award in order to aid in maintaining the Laboratory?s ISO accreditation. The grant award would allow the Laboratory to: 1) Maintain the personnel and procedures needed for the microbiological examination of produce in accordance with ISO requirements; 2) Offset associated costs for inspections/ audits by ISO accrediting bodies, and 3) Offset the extra costs associated with equipment maintenance/calibration and laboratory supplies associated with the ISO requirements. The CTSPHL is only seeking an award under Competition A of RFA-FD-17-010 As part of the requirements for this grant, the CTSPHL has partnered with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), the state agency responsible for regulation of MFRPS. DCP will be responsible for the collection of samples and submitting these to the CTSPHL for testing. A letter from DCP is included in this application expressing their commitment to the project. Additionally DCP holds a contract for food safety inspections with FDA. The CTSPHL is currently in the FERN/FSIS program (Cooperative Agreement Number: FSIS-C-06-16) and participates in both the chemistry and microbiology proficiency test challenges as well as some drills. The CTSPHL currently uploads all its food testing results for pathogens into eLEXNET, including both results associated with its current FDA Food Testing/ ISO Accreditation (e.g. routine surveillance) and any other food testing results for pathogens. This practice will continue. In order to achieve the requirements of this grant the CTSPHL plans on the following: 1) Increasing the number of samples tested to at least 75/year. 2) Increase the scope of testing by adding shiga toxin producing e. coli (STEC) to our scope of accredited methods