Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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FSA Board Paper (FSA 22-09-06), 31 August 2022
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FSA Board Paper: FSA 22-09-06 - Public Analyst Official Laboratory System: Our Approach to Building a Resilient System A pdf copy of this paper (originally provided as a web page) is available on this site (click on image). Note that the figures did not display in the pdf version but have been copied into a separate pdf file - see: Board Paper Figures. Provided under the Open Government Licence. The original document was accessed from: |
The paper will be discussed at the FSA Board Meeting on 14th September 2022. The following is the introduction to the paper:
This paper explains the official laboratory system in the UK and gives a recommended approach to build GB testing capability and resolve the current challenges within the system.
1. Summary
Public Analyst (PA) Official Laboratories (OLs) are laboratories designated to analyse chemical and compositional food and feed samples, sent by local authorities or Port Health Authorities (PHAs) for enforcement and surveillance purposes.
There has been a steady decline in the capacity and capability of the PA OLs, leading to concerns over the capacity and capability of the system. In 2019, a paper was brought to the FSA Board which outlined the state of the system.
Since then, the UK has left the EU and the Covid-19 pandemic has occurred, leading to additional pressure being placed on the system.
The current system is highly reliant on local authority sampling activity, which has reduced significantly over recent years, and as a result has led to a system that has seen a chronic decline in overall capability and capacity and is less able to invest in the future.
As a result, direct intervention is needed to ensure further decline is prevented and that the UK retains and builds the testing capacity and capability required to undertake routine testing, support incidents and enable research-related analysis.
This paper provides a recommended approach to build GB testing capability and resolve the current challenges within the system.
The Board is asked to:
