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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
Congressional and Public Affairs
Katrine Pritchard (202) 720-9113
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2002—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service today announced that its Eastern laboratory in Athens, Ga., is the second of the agency’s laboratories to receive accreditation under ISO Standard 17025. This standard is internationally recognized as a comprehensive and rigorous standard for food testing laboratories.
"Standardization encourages uniform laboratory practices," said Margaret Glavin, acting FSIS administrator. "ISO accreditation under Standard 17025 is regarded as the highest international standard for food testing laboratories and many of our international trade partners recognize this standard."
Accreditation was granted by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, the accrediting body in the United States recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO Standard 17025 has numerous specific requirements including detailed descriptions of all laboratory activities, extensive documentation of all laboratory techniques, proof of analytical competency, and proof that the laboratory is explicitly following all policies and procedures.
FSIS initiated the accreditation process three years ago. The agency has created a quality manual and more than 400 work instructions detailing the procedures used in each laboratory. All laboratory staff were trained in ISO.
The Eastern laboratory conducts various regulatory analyses for FSIS, including microbiological and chemical testing, pathology and food chemistry.
The Eastern laboratory is the second FSIS laboratory to receive accreditation under ISO Standard 17025. The Microbial Outbreaks and Special Projects laboratory in Athens, Ga., was accredited in December 2001. The Midwestern and Western regulatory laboratories have been audited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation and FSIS anticipates that these laboratories will obtain ISO Standard 17025 Accreditation in coming weeks.
FSIS is responsible for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and correctly labeled. As part of that responsibility, FSIS conducts verification testing to monitor microbiological, chemical and other types of contamination.
For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460