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National Reference Laboratory

Spain’s National Food Centre acts as a reference when it comes to residue detection, milk and dairy product analysis and food-borne zoonosis, according to that laid down by various Royal Decrees.It is also a National Reference Laboratory for materials in contact with food.

Furthermore, in accordance with current legislation, the CNA carries out the same functions in terms of mycotoxins and PAH in foods, pesticides in fruit and vegetables and bacteriological and viral contamination in fishing products.

On the other hand, the National Food Centre was approved by the United States Department of Agriculture for research into Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp.and residues from veterinary medicinal products, pesticides, heavy metals, species identification, etc.in meat and meat products for exporting to the USA.

The reference functions defined by these regulations relate to:

  • Coordination of activities in Authorised Laboratories that deal with control analysis and coordination of the drafting of standards and methods of analysis for each analyte or group of analytes (residues,contaminants,micro-organisms,zoonotic agents,etc.)
  • Collaboration with the competent authorities to organise the Control System and, if applicable, the corresponding Monitoring Plan (Residues,etc.)
  • Periodic organisation of comparative tests for each analyte or group of analytes. The activities to be developed in this case are different according to the type of intercomparison (proficiency tests,collaborative trails,certification tests,etc.). Examples include:
    • Preparation of samples.
    • Stability Studies.
    • Homogeneity studies.
    • Rated value and uncertainty.
    • Common analytical method to be used (in the case of collaborative trials).
    • Intercomparison test management (sending of samples,documents,etc.).
    • Evaluation of results and their communication to participants.
    • Etc.
  • Ensuring the dissemination of the information supplied by the Community Reference Laboratories (CRL).
  • Promoting and guaranteeing that the authorised Laboratories respect the established detection limits.
  • Providing technical support to the authorised Laboratories.In this respect:
    • Providing information on analysis methods and coordinating their application in Authorised Laboratories (especially through the application of comparative tests).
    • Coordinating and conducting research on new methods of analysis and informing the Authorised Laboratories of such processes.
    • Providing technical and scientific assistance to authorised Laboratories, especially in terms of confirmation, typing and diagnosis support.
  • Providing training for the authorised Laboratories.In this respect:
    • Organising, and if applicable, coordinating training and improvement courses and conferences for the staff that work in Authorised Laboratories.

As a Reference Laboratory of the Agency,the activity of the CNA is geared towards the most complex of methodologies such as liquid chromatography coupled to both triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) or single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Activity is also geared towards similar studies such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry GC/MS and GC/MS-MS, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), RT- PCR, etc.