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Fish and Seafood > Product Inspection
Policy on the Use of Third Party Laboratories for Testing Fish
and Fish Products Under the Fish Inspection Program
Background
The Fish Inspection Program (FIP) relies on laboratory analytical results in
a number of situations, to determine compliance of facilities and products with
regulatory requirements. Currently, the Fish Inspection Regulations (FIR) spell
out the conditions for acceptability of third
party laboratory results only in the context of the Quality Management Program
for Importers (QMPI). However, there are other situations within the
program where analytical testing might be conducted by third party
laboratories. A clear policy on the conditions for the use of accredited and
non-accredited third party laboratories for different activities within the
FIP is required.
Objectives and Scope
The goal of this policy is to establish the conditions for the acceptance of
Canadian third party laboratory results for regulatory purposes by the FIP. It covers any Canadian
laboratory results used for decision making as part of the different FIP activities.
Application of the Policy
This policy applies to lab analytical sampling and results that are acquired
by the regulated sector. When the sampling and testing is done as described by
the policy, the Fish Program will accept the test results as part of the
decision making. In some instances, this may result in the Fish Inspection
Program choosing not to sample the same lot of product. Presently, this policy
does not address the use of private third party labs to conduct testing that is
routinely done by the CFIA labs.
Policy on the Use of Third party Accredited Laboratories
- The FIP accepts results
from Canadian third party accredited laboratories for decision making in final
product and facility inspection activities involving analytical testing, as
well as for laboratory testing conducted in support of the Canadian Shellfish
Sanitation Program (CSSP). Third party laboratories may include non-federal
government, university, private and other institutional laboratories.
- Analytical results from Canadian third party laboratories will be accepted
by the FIP under the
conditions described in this policy for those laboratories accredited by the
Standards Council of Canada (SCC) under the Program for Accreditation of
Laboratories (PALCAN), in conformity
with CAN-P-4D (ISO/IEC 17025), General Requirements for the Competence of
Testing and Calibration Laboratories. Acceptance of results is limited to
those tests and analytical matrices included in the current scope of
accreditation for the laboratory. A list of tests currently offered by
accredited third party laboratories, as well as the approved analytical methods
may be found in the
SCC web site, at
http://palcan.scc.ca/SpecsSearch/GLSearchForm.do?language=en.
- In specific cases the FIP may accept results from non-accredited
third party laboratories that are externally evaluated under other laboratory
quality verification programs and are in good standing within such a program.
Acceptance would be subject to review by CFIA's Science Branch of the
evaluation program components, the laboratory's practices and the
analytical methods for the specific tests. As a minimum, such external
evaluation programs must include on-site evaluation and regular successful
participation in proficiency testing programs for the test in question.
- Also, in specific cases the FIP may accept results from non-accredited
third party institutional laboratories (such as university and other federal or
non-federal government departments and agencies) not accredited by the SCC, subject to prior review by
the CFIA's
Science Branch of the laboratory's practices and the analytical method(s)
for the specific test(s).
- Submission requirements for third party laboratories will be consistent
with those for CFIA
laboratories. This includes requirements for handling and shipping of samples,
as well as sample submission information. Sampling must be performed in
conformity with FIP sampling
policy.
- The FIP will develop
standard procedures for submission of samples and reporting of results from
third party laboratories.
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