Details of pesticide residues laboratory activities since the beginning of 2024
The Laboratory for Pesticide Residues and Heavy Metals in Food (QCAP) issued a report on its achievements and activities during the first quarter of the current year 2024.
Dr. Hend Abdullah, Director of the Pesticide Residues Laboratory, said that the past three months of the year included several achievements at the local and international levels.
International accreditations for the pesticide residues laboratory
1 – Renewal of the laboratory’s accreditation from the American Accreditation Authority (A2LA – American Association for Laboratory Accreditation ISO 17025): for the second year in a row in accordance with the international standard.
2- Renewing the laboratory’s grant of occupational health and safety and environmental management certificates (ISO 45001, ISO 14001).
Developing and raising the efficiency of the pesticide residues laboratory
– Supporting the various sections of the laboratory by training the workers in these sections, including researchers and technicians, to raise efficiency and increase expertise in the sections of pesticide residues, heavy metals, mycotoxins, food additives and quality, persistent organic pollutants, veterinary drugs, microbiology, and food contact materials. p>
– More than 15 new analyzes of pollutants were increased and included in accordance with the requirements of regulatory bodies, foreign markets, and customers in all sections of the laboratory and were approved.
– Work is also underway to increase the laboratory services horizontally, as experimental work has begun for the new laboratory branch in Ismailia Governorate. It has been equipped with the latest advanced equipment in the field of food contaminant analysis and has been accredited by the American Accreditation Authority in accordance with international specifications
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The scientific and societal role
1- The laboratory participated in more than ten workshops and various forums in food safety, integrated management of agricultural pests, and export crops in cooperation with various parties.
2- The laboratory organized 5 workshops with the Agricultural Pesticides Committee, Crop Life Egypt Association, Haya Association, export companies, and the Export Council for Food Industries in order to support workers in the production and export of agricultural crops and food industries.
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3- Some researchers obtained master’s degrees in the field of laboratory work and participated in the arbitration of a master’s thesis at the African Studies Research Institute.
4- The laboratory, through its training center, organized several training programs for more than 35 trainees from the private and government sectors, research bodies and Egyptian universities in the fields of food safety and quality systems.
5- The laboratory received more than 75 Egyptian university students to visit the laboratory and learn about the various services it provides.
6- The laboratory’s participation in the various committees for issuing specifications affiliated with the Standards, Codex and Food Safety Authority.
International Achievements
1- The factory is considered one of the most important entities participating in increasing the amount of agricultural exports, the most important of which are citrus fruits, fresh and frozen strawberries, potatoes and grapes.
2- The laboratory is considered one of the most important parties participating in increasing the amount of agricultural exports during the first quarter of this year, the most important of which are citrus fruits, strawberries, peanuts, and potatoes. This year, the laboratory analyzed The number of samples reached about 81,468, including 15,756 samples destined for export, at a rate estimated at about 19% of the total number of samples analyzed during the first quarter. The laboratory also analyzed 19,144 samples from the samples imported to Egypt, at a rate estimated at about 23% of the total number of samples that were analyzed. They were analyzed during the same period, while 43,674 samples were analyzed to confirm the quality of the customers’ product according to their requirements, at a rate estimated at approximately 53% of the total number of samples analyzed during the first quarter of 2024. It is worth noting that the number of samples increased during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. An increase estimated at about 13%.
International visits to the laboratory
– The laboratory received an official delegation from the sister Kingdom of Morocco to review the laboratory’s activities and its role in the field of food safety, to discuss ways of cooperation between the two countries during its official visit to the Egyptian agricultural quarantine.
All of this comes within the framework of improving and developing the factory’s services to increase Egyptian exports and open new international markets.
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