Indiana's Project Plan for Competition A: ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation Maintenance/Enhancement and Sample Collection and Analysis Project

Indiana State Department Of Health, Indianapolis IN

Investigators

Abstract

Indiana State Department of Health Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation PI: Ryan Gentry RFA-FD-17-010 Competition A Project Summary One of the primary goals of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), is the establishment of an integrated national food safety system created by the FDA in partnership with State and local authorities. The previous FDA Cooperative Agreement ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Accreditation for State Food Testing Laboratories provided the opportunity for states to lay the foundation for the integrated system. Indiana responded by becoming one of the first non-accredited labs to achieve accreditation during the funding period. Continued funding through this FOA is critical to Indiana?s sustained growth towards participation in an integrated national food safety system. Through this funding ISDH Laboratories will continue to improve our QMS, share these improvements with our peers, and maintain our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. It is the goal of the ISDH Laboratories to use this funding opportunity to enhance our accreditation to cover analysis of additional FDA regulated items and non-routine methods requested during foodborne outbreaks. These enhancements along with product expansion of the current Sample Collection and Analysis Project will provide a broad base of support for multiple programs and agencies within the State. Communication from these partners to their agency policymakers about the importance of having laboratory findings supported by ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for regulatory actions, will drive the changes necessary to incorporate funding for accreditation at the State level.