Building Laboratory Capacity/Capability - Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has an expansive food safety inspection and regulatory laboratory testing program. The New York State Food Laboratory, a division within the Department of Agriculture and Markets, is New York State's primary food safety laboratory and is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard and additional criteria set by the AOAC-I ALACC. The New York State Food Laboratory has comprehensive testing programs for foodborne pathogens and chemical residues/toxic elements in food and beverages. If funded by the FDA the New York State Food Laboratory will significantly expand laboratory capacity and capability through the following; expand the number of methods and technologies within our scope of accreditation, support training of laboratory staff, provide additional staff resources to the laboratory QA/QC office, and improve laboratory systems for data capture and reporting. We will focus laboratory program enhancements to programs that directly support testing of manufactured foods that are produced, sold and/or distributed in New York State. In addition the key personnel on this proposal are committed to mentoring other laboratories who seek accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard.