The amendments published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the Official Gazette on 1 August 2024 introduced important innovations in the Regulation on Food Control Laboratories. These amendments include radical changes in the conditions and technical requirements for laboratories to participate in proficiency tests.

Especially the amendments regarding proficiency tests attract attention. According to the new regulations, laboratories will have to participate in proficiency tests in the analysis groups determined by the Ministry every year in order to demonstrate their technical competence. In the absence of proficiency tests, analytical competence will be monitored through methods such as participation in inter-laboratory comparison tests or the use of certified reference materials.

Under the amendments, laboratories will have to participate in inter-laboratory comparison tests to check whether the analysis results are within acceptable error limits. These results, which will be evaluated by the National Food Reference Laboratory or the Ministry’s food control laboratory, will be reported to the Directorate General on a confidential basis.

If the results of the proficiency test or inter-laboratory comparison test are not appropriate, laboratories will have to prepare a corrective action report and submit it to the Directorate General within thirty days. If on-site inspections are required as a result of the examination of the report, these inspections will be planned and carried out. If the corrective actions are not found to be adequate or if any non-conformity is detected as a result of the audit that will affect the result of the analysis, the relevant laboratory’s authorisation to conduct analyses will be suspended and its activity will be suspended.

In addition, if laboratories deliberately fail to participate in proficiency tests, their authorisation for the relevant analyses will be suspended and their activities will be suspended until they obtain a successful result from the proficiency test on the same subject.

Other amendments to the Regulation include the requirements to ensure the physical integrity of the administrative and technical service sections of the laboratories, and to have sufficient number of rooms and archives for the laboratory manager and other management personnel. In addition, the terms of office and appointment conditions of technical staff working in laboratories have also been reorganised.

These new regulations aim to ensure that food safety and quality control processes are carried out more effectively and reliably. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the technical competences of laboratories will serve the objectives of protecting consumer health and increasing food safety. The adaptation of laboratories to these changes and making the necessary arrangements will increase their reliability both nationally and internationally.

For Detailed Information: Regulation