DOST testing lab assures food safety
WATER districts and water refilling stations in Northern Mindanao have their water analyzed regularly for presence of indicator microorganisms.
Cofipac, a toll packer for Nestlé Products, avails testing of their food containers and packages for pathogens and level of sanitation of surfaces while Boom Marine, an exporter of processed marine products, avails of swab testing to get the level of sanitation of surfaces and its workers as a requirement for export.
General Polymedic Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City and the Valencia Sanitarium and Hospital go for analysis of purified water for hemo dialysis purposes while the Department of Trade and Industry-Bukidnon refers for chemical testing of some products of identified business enterprises for nutrition labeling.
Students, meanwhile, request for test and analysis of plants and soils as part of their thesis requirements.
Other clients include the Panedotte - A Taste of Heaven Pastel, Nature's Gift Mangosteen Extract, Lahoy (Oil), Organic Coconut Sugar, Golden C (Calamansi Juice), Mamsie's (Ham), Ces Spiced Fish Tail Vinegar, J&A Pastel Buns, Lola Ling's Syrup, Ato Kini Barquillos and Hearts Chocolate.
The above are only a few of the many firms and individuals that/who regularly avail of the testing and analysis services of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Northern Mindanao's testing and analysis services.
These firms want that their products pass the international standard and assure their clients of food safety.
The DOST-Northern Mindanao Regional Standards and Testing Laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art testing equipment and operated by highly skilled laboratory analysts.
The laboratories offer analysis services with high precision. To maintain a high standard of services, the laboratories are being continually upgraded by participating in proficiency tests.
RSTL head Engr. Romela Ratila said the laboratories have been participating in international proficiency testing program since 2002 and have successfully fulfilled the competency requirements.
The latest proficiency testing program, Engr. Ratilla added, was participated in by the following RSTL analysts -- Sylvia Khu (microbiologist), Hazel Barbarona (chemist) and Dinah Anne Marie Inres (chemist), who all took the proficiency test for Staphylococcus, coliform, mould and yeast and total viable count in water. The three got an almost perfect score in all the tests performed. Ms. Inres, in fact, hit a perfect score in one test.
Other staff who man the RSTL are Joanah Magto, Jurgen Sanes, Tara Sarinandi Pascual, Adonis Walog, Wendell James Bonsucan and Earl Susbilla.
Proficiency testing provides independent verification of the analytical competence of a laboratory and shows a commitment to the maintenance and improvement of performance. It demonstrates to the public, customers, accreditation bodies, regulators and management that analytical procedures are under control and gives analysts the confidence that the services they provide withstand scrutiny.
Participation in proficiency testing programs satisfies the ISO/IEC 17025's "General Requirements for Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories."
The guidelines specifies that all analytical laboratories should operate a quality assurance system which includes internal quality control procedures, participation in proficiency testing schemes and the use of reference standards and certification/accreditation to a recognized standard such as ISO/IEC 17025.
DOST-Northern Mindanao's RSTL have been granted an ISO 17025 accreditation since 2005 and is good until 2013.
ISO/IEC 17025 is a global standard for the technical competence of calibration and testing laboratories. All ISO 17025-accredited laboratories are re-evaluated periodically to ensure their continued compliance with the requirements and to check that their standard of operation is being maintained. The laboratories are also required to participate in relevant proficiency testing programs as a further demonstration of technical competence.
To date, the Microbiological Testing Laboratory of DOST-Northern Mindanao has satisfactorily participated in 12 international testing schemes involving 16 samples. The Chemical Testing Laboratory, on the other hand, has participated in 13 international proficiency schemes since 2002 involving 14 samples of different characteristics for 20 parameters or tests for nutritional components in food and materials in water.
Aside from the international proficiency schemes, the DOST-Northern Midnanao Chemical Testing Laboratory also participated in local programs organize by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of DOST. Specific test was on nutritional parameters in food.
The proficiency testing for environmental parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), total suspended solids and mercury were provided by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
"Participation in proficiency testing programs is an effective tool to assess our laboratories' performance relative to others. When properly used, proficiency testing results provide a self-help system to all "satisfactory", "questionable" and "unsatisfactory" performing laboratories. We are very proud to say that ours is at par with the international standards," Engr. Ratilla said.
The existence of the DOST-X Standards and Testing Laboratories is of big help to exporters and non-exporters in Northern Mindanao as they no longer have to go to Manila or other cities to look for laboratories to examine and certify their products. This lowers the risk of violating food and occupational safety laws, results to significant cost savings and increased consumer trust.
(superioridadtess@yahoo.com)