Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation for State Food Testing 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 Laboratories achieved accreditation in 2007, and maintains A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for the specific tests listed in A2LA certificates 2534.01 and 2534.02 (available at www.A2LA.org). The Division of Food Safety is directly responsible for assuring the public of a safe, wholesome and properly represented food supply. This is accomplished through the permitting and inspection of food establishments; inspection and evaluation of food and dairy products; and the performance of biological and chemical laboratory testing on a variety of food and dairy products sold and/or produced in Florida. The division monitors food and dairy products from manufacturing through distribution to retail sale. 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, 502, 583, 586, and 601. As the primary regulatory food testing laboratory for Florida the FDACS Division of Food Safety Laboratories work with our Division'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 Division of Food Safety, Bureau of Laboratories is applying for the cooperative agreement titled: Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation and Whole Genome Sequencing for State Food Testing Laboratories, announcement number RFA-FD-19- 018, with anticipation of funding from 2019 through 2020 for maintaining accreditation and performing enhancements to the accredited laboratory system. The Laboratories have actively participated in the project titled Maintaining and Enhancing Accreditation at the Florida Bureau of Food Laboratories under current grant number 5U18FD006241-01 and previous grant 5U18FD004474 continuously since 2012. The Division of Food Safety, Bureau of 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 Division of Food Safety Laboratories are active participants in the FERN programs and are currently one of the FDA FERN CAP laboratories under grant number 1U18FD005506.