FDA FERN Microbiological Cooperative Agreement Program: Enhanced Food Safetyand Security Testing ProgramAbstract: As a direct result of the funding support provided through the first three-year MCAPaward, the Colorado laboratory established solid foundations for enhancing our food testingcapabilities. Instrumentation placed at the outset of the award interval was deployedimmediately. Other crucial instruments were purchased or brought to active status during thesecond year of the agreement. Through training and proficiency testing Colorado laboratorystaff developed the necessary abilities that complemented pre-existing diagnostic microbiologyskills. The appropriate designation of key personnel to participate in this program ensures theability to provide targeted sample analyses in the event of food outbreaks or other large-scalefood emergency events requiring surge capacity testing of implicated food samples. Ourreporting of test findings is now refined to meet FDA standards and electronic reporting isavailable for use as requested. Through cooperative responses to local foodborne outbreaks,we established a well-defined working relationship with the regional FDA laboratory. Thisrelationship results in increased data sharing and more coordinated response to outbreakinvestigations. The number of staff with proficiency to perform testing for both food andenvironmental samples continues to expand, with extensive cross-training that includes classicmicrobiological methods and advanced molecular diagnostic technology. Use of designatedprotocols provides consistency of analytical findings as demonstrated through the outcomes ofboth proficiency tests and live assignments undertaken through the program to date. The valuecreated by the Colorado laboratory through the first award interval is the creation of a highlyskilled group of key personnel who can respond with a wide variety of defined methods toprovide rigorous testing under surveillance, outbreak response, or surge capacity. A continuedinvestment will provide even greater returns during the next award interval.
A national network of food testing laboratories is crucial to maintaining the nation's food safety and security. The collaboration of Federal and State laboratories to develop and sustain this framework is required to ensure the public health and a safe food supply. Through continuation of the FDA FERN Microbiology Cooperative Agreement Program, the improvements to food testing implemented by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment laboratory are aligned with this national goal and can be extended to undertake new initiatives.
