AOAC renewed a contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) to provide onsite reviews of food chemistry accredited laboratories for USDA’s Accredited Laboratory Program (ALP). The contract includes a base period starting in fiscal year 2009, with the option of 4 additional years.

Since 2001, AOAC has been assisting FSIS in conducting onsite reviews of laboratories accredited to perform food chemistry analyses. To date, AOAC has assisted FSIS in conducting onsite reviews of 107 food chemistry laboratories on a rotating 2-year schedule. These laboratories are accredited for the analysis of meat and poultry products for moisture, protein, fat, and salt.

In support of the contract, AOAC will plan and coordinate onsite reviews of various ALP laboratories within the United States, including Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Oregon. AOAC will conduct reviews for those laboratories that have not been reviewed in the last year. AOAC reviewers will provide an initial report for comments by FSIS. Subsequently, AOAC will submit a final report for review.

For more information, contact Arlene Fox, senior director of proficiency testing, at afox@aoac.org .

Full coverage is scheduled for the March/April issue of Inside Laboratory Management.

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