National Reference Laboratories Wageningen Food Safety Research : annual report 2022

Summary

National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) are part of the system responsible for controlling and enforcing EU food and feed legislation. Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR) has been designated as NRL for thirteen areas of competence including milk and milk products, marine biotoxins, animal proteins in feedingstuffs, certain substances and residues thereof1, additives for use in animal nutrition (feed additives), genetically modified organisms in food and feed, pesticides, metals and nitrogenous substances in feed and food, mycotoxins and plant toxins in food and feed, processing contaminants, halogenated persistent organic pollutants in food and feed, food-borne viruses and water content of poultry. The tasks of WFSR’s NRLs depend on their respective fields of research. This annual report summarises all the activities carried out by WFSR’s NRLs in 2022. Staying updated on the latest developments is a crucial aspect of NRL’s responsibilities. The European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) arrange one or two workshops annually to facilitate this objective. Attendance at these workshops is mandatory for EURL-NRL members. In 2022, WFSR’s NRLs attended all the workshops. They actively participated in the EURL working groups to enhance their analytical methods. To assess the analytical capabilities of NRLs, EURLs conduct proficiency tests. Since the scope of these tests is sometimes limited, WFSR’s NRLs also participated in proficiency tests organised by other relevant organisations. The majority of the proficiency tests yielded satisfactory results, with only a few instances of ‘questionable’ or ‘unsatisfactorily’ outcomes. These were addressed through follow-up actions. To ensure the performance of Official Laboratories (OLs), their results in proficiency tests organised by WFSR’s NRLs were checked, or assurance samples were provided. Additionally, technical support related to their analyses was provided for some OLs. Furthermore, the scientific and technical backing offered to the competent authority is explained. In some cases, contact with other NRLs is also discussed