The main objective of the Division of Laboratory Services (DLS) at the Kentucky Department for Public Health is to expand the scope of current accreditation for additional areas within the laboratory to include Food Microbiology and Food Chemistry analyses. These microbiological and chemical analyses shall be performed on behalf of KY State manufactured food regulatory programs (MFRPS) and shall be conducted within the scope of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Standards. DLS shall seek to obtain accreditation by an impartial and internationally recognized accrediting body to achieve ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standards for food microbiology and chemistry areas. DLS is the primary servicing laboratory for conducting microbiological and chemical food analyses on behalf of the KY State MFRPS in the Department for Public Health / Food Safety Branch which has a current food safety inspection contract with FDA and is enrolled in the MFRPS. We intend to expand our current scope of accreditation by adding Food Microbiology and Food Chemistry analyses. This will be conducted through certified methods for screening of chemicals, such as pesticide residues in processed foods, such as fruits and vegetables using state- of- the-art analytical equipments including gas chromatographic / mass spectrometric (GC/MS) testing. In addition, microbiological testing of pathogens, such as (E. coli, S. aureus, B. cereus, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, C. perfringens, Cronobacter sakazakii) will be performed in a variety of processed foods. Funding of this proposal will assist the KY State manufactured food regulatory program in achieving conformance with Standard 10 Laboratory Support of the MFRPS. Laboratory accreditation will contribute to production of accurate and reliable test data, a quicker acceptance of analytical results by FDA, and other regulatory agencies for enforcement actions, surveillance purposes and response to foodborne outbreaks.
This proposal will increase the analytical capacity for FDA through the state laboratory (DLS) and enhance efforts to protect the nation's food supply. In the event of nefarious-type activity or other large-scale events affecting foods or food products, States and Federal authorities can use DLS test results for rapid response and surveillance; and these response efforts will enable enforcement of regulatory compliance to protect the safety of the nation's food supply. By funding this proposal, DLS will assist in achieving conformance with standard 10 'Laboratory Support' of the MFRPS (see attached letters of support from Food Safety Branch/KY State MFRPS and Food Emergency Response Network (FERN)).
