Enhancing Mississippi's Integrated Food Safety Program by Maintaining ISO 17025 Accreditation

The$ Food$ Safety$ Modernization$ Act$ allows$ the$ FDA$ to$ improve$ the$ food$ safety$system$ and$ better$ protect$ the$ public.$ The$ Manufactured$ Food$ Regulatory$ Program$Standards$ are$ a$ key$ component$ for$ the$ establishment$ of$ an$ integrated$ food$ safety$system.$ These$ standards$ establish$ a$ basis$ for$ measuring$ and$ improving$ prevention,$intervention,$ and$ response$ actions$ so$ federal$ and$ state$ agencies$ can$ work$ together$more$ efficiently$ to$ reduce$ foodborne$ illness.$ In$ Mississippi,$ the$ Mississippi$Department$ of$ Health$ regulates$ food$ products$ manufactured,$ held,$ and$ distributed$within$ the$ State$ and$ the$ Mississippi$ State$ Chemical$ Laboratory$ serves$ as$ the$ official$testing$ laboratory.$ Accreditation$ is$ necessary$ for$ a$ state$ and$ federal$ integrated$ food$safety$ system.$ Therefore,$ we$ propose$ to$ maintain$ and$ augment$ our$ scope$ of$ISO/IEC$ 17025$ accreditation,$ strengthen$ our$ collaboration$ with$ the$ MSDH,$collect$ a$ minimum$ of$ 75$ samples$ to$ be$ analyzed$ for$ surveillance$ under$ the$manufactured$ food$ regulatory$ program,$ and$ streamline$ our$ data$ upload$ to$eLEXNET.$