The Italian National Reference Laboratory for coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), including S. aureus, participated in the European call by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for the designation of National Reference Laboratory for CPS North Ireland (NRL-NI).

The agreement (FS900109 dated 08/07/2021) was signed between the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d’Aosta (IZSPLA) and the FSA for the nomination of NRL-NI (expiration date 01/03/2025).

Activities under the agreement are:

• Coordinate activities of the official laboratories of Northern Ireland represented by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), with the aim to harmonize and improve analytical methods, laboratory tests and diagnostics, and their use
• Organize periodic interlaboratory round tests for the two official laboratories, inform the competent agencies of test results, and organize proficiency testing for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins according to ISO 19020:2017 for accreditation of the NRL-NI network in use of the method
• Provide for dissemination of information from the EURL-CPS (Anses-Paris) to the competent agencies and the two official laboratories, as well as other pertinent information and technical-scientific updates
• Provide technical and scientific support to the competent agencies in the deployment of national multi-year monitoring plans and coordinated control programs
• Validate reagents and reagent lots, maintain updated lists of substances and standard reagents, and supply, on request, the two official laboratories with food matrices artificially contaminated with reference strains of aureus
• Hold, as deemed necessary, training courses for the staff of the two official laboratories for the purpose of harmonizing the laboratory methods and resolving technical-analytical problems
• Assist competent agencies in the diagnosis of foodborne outbreaks of disease and identify and confirm the sources of food contamination in cases in which there are uncertainties

Documents:

• Decides General Manager 144 del 08/07/2021

Laboratory Manager

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