The safety and quality of the food we consume is paramount to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA). Food that is chemically contaminated can cause sickness and/or death. The quality of food and its ingredients is also important. It allows consumers to make informed decisions about what they eat and helps to ensure that people are receiving their nutritional needs. Human food product testing is an integral part of an integrated food safety system. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division is composed of six laboratory sections: agricultural materials, dairy, food chemistry, microbiology, pesticides, and seed. The work proposed in this project will be performed in our agricultural materials and pesticides laboratory sections. In each year of the project the WVDA will analyze a minimum of 500 human food samples. The types of analyses will change from year to year but will include toxic metals, nutritional metals, mycotoxins, iodine, extraneous materials, allergens, glyphosate, and multiple proximate analyses. Key personnel that are involved in the project include Joshua Arbaugh, Chemist III/Seed Analyst/Microscopist and Technical Lead; Marjan Nadimi, Chemist II; Thomas Trupo, Chemist II; and Chris Roy, Laboratory Assistant. The WVDA has made a commitment in recent years to increase laboratory staff and interviews are scheduled for additional chemists. The WVDA chemistry laboratory will have five methods under its? scope of accreditation in 2020. All other methods not currently under the scope of accreditation follow the same ISO/IEC 17025 quality system, proficiency testing, and competency requirements. Funding received through the LFFM will support the fees associated with maintaining accreditation such as equipment calibrations, preventative maintenance, assessments, personnel, and travel for training. Consumable costs will also be supported in order to conduct food analyses.
