Appointment of the Central Science Laboratory (CSL)

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Last week (7 April) the Agency announced that its Food Protection Division has appointed the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) as the UK’s National Reference Laboratory for contaminants in food.

This work covers the following areas:

• mycotoxins
• heavy metals
• dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• materials and articles in contact with food

The Agency would like to clarify that it has not centralised its research to one laboratory. It will still be tendering for research via the protocols set out in its research requirements document.

The appointment of National Reference Laboratories is a requirement placed on all EU member states by Regulation EC/2004/882. Different laboratories may be appointed for different subject areas, although in this case the Central Science Laboratory has been appointed for the five food contaminants areas listed.

The Agency has already made some other appointments, for example for animal feed additive authorisations and marine biotoxins, and is in the process of appointing others. The National Reference Laboratories work closely with the Central Community Reference Laboratories appointed by the European Commission and with official national control laboratories within their country.

The four-year appointment of CSL took effect on 1 April 2008, and will enable it to carry out the functions as described in Article 33 of Commission Regulation (EC) 882/2004.

The services provided will include:

• providing a channel for communication between the FSA and other relevant laboratories
• advice and representation on contaminants within the UK/EU
• production of standard operating procedures, codes of practice and guidance documents (as agreed with the Agency)
• compliance assessment via audits ring trials (as agreed with the Agency)
• co-ordination within the UK of Central Reference Laboratory initiatives

The appointment will be reviewed in four years' time.