Appropriate quality assurance systems for laboratory activities are a vital
component of good laboratory practice. Quality assurance systems include accreditation
to EN ISO/IEC 17025 on “General requirements for the competence of testing
and calibration laboratories” and participation in external quality
assurance schemes (EQA) and comparative testing through ring trials. Part
of the CRL’s remit is to assist reference laboratories achieve good
quality assurance practices.
Comparative testing (ring trials)
The CRL, as part of its remit, organises regular proficiency testing (PT)
and ring trials of for relevant methods amongst NRL's and other international
laboratories. Information on recent and forthcoming proficiency testing, along
with previous PT performance reports are posted on the activities page and
in the information centre of this website. Ring trials and comparative testing
programmes cover the current microbiological testing requirements of Regulation
(EC) No 854/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 (E. coli and Salmonella
spp.), viral contaminants (norovirus and hepatitis A), FRNA bacteriophage
and Vibrio spp.
Accreditation
The CRL is accredited by the relevant UK authority (the United
Kingdom Accreditation Service) for the microbiological testing requirements
specified by Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005
(E. coli and Salmonella spp.)
and also for FRNA bacteriophage and detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
(by real time reverse transcription PCR) in
shellfish. The CRL’s UKAS accreditation can be traced through to the
requirements of EN ISO/ISO 17025.
Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on official controls performed to ensure verification
of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules
requires that official laboratories (including National Reference Laboratories)
are assessed and accredited to EN ISO/ISO 17025. A derogation on the accreditation
of laboratories is contained within the transitional measures Regulation (EC)
No 2076/2005 of 5 December 2005 laying down transitional arrangements for
the implementation of Regulations (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC)
No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Regulations
(EC) No 853/2004 and (EC) No 854/2004 provided that a laboratory has initiated
and is pursuing the necessary accreditation or can provide the competent authority
with satisfactory guarantees that quality control schemes are in place. As
part of its remit, the CRL will be assisting NRLs, where necessary, to meet
these international accreditation and quality standards.
External Quality Assurance (EQA)
EQA is an essential part of good quality assurance programmes and, where available,
is required for accreditation to EN ISO/ISO 17025 standards.
The CRL collaborates with the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) in the organisation
of a tailored shellfish EQA scheme. Reference laboratories are encouraged
to participate in this scheme. The CRL/HPA shellfish scheme currently covers
E. coli and Salmonella spp. analyses and is accredited to EN ISO/ISO 17025
standards. Participation is on a cost recovery basis. Registration
form.
Performance assessment and follow-up
All laboratories undertaking Official Controls on live bivalve molluscs should participate in a relevant external
quality scheme This enables both an independent assessment of laboratory performance and comparative performance assessments
with other participants. The frequency of such participation should be frequent enough to enable identification of poor
performance over a realistic timescale. Laboratory performance should be monitored on a regular basis and poor performance investigated.
The CRL has produced a guidance on performance assessment and recommended follow-up activities. This can be accessed by
clicking here.
European co-operation for Accreditation (EA)
Until now, the branches of European national accreditation bodies have been
handled separately by EAC (European Accreditation of Certification) and EAL
(European co-operation for Accreditation of Laboratories) concerned with certification
bodies or with laboratories. These organisations have joined to form European
Accreditation (EA), which now covers all European conformity assessment activities.
For more information on EA and to access the document EA-4/10 'Accreditation
for laboratories performing microbiological testing' click
here.
The scheme co-ordinator is:
Dr Julie Russell
Centre for Infections
Food and Environmental Proficiency Testing Unit (FEPTU)
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5HT UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8327 7119
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8200 8264
Email: foodeqa@hpa.org.uk
Website: http://www.hpa.org.uk
