Annual Report 1999
02/01/2000- 1. Introduction
- 2. Control Objectives in 1999
- 3. Total Results
- 4.1 Food Safety Controls
- 4.1.1 Microbiologic requirements
- 4.1.2 Contaminants
- 4.2 Controls of Quality and Labelling
- 5. Thematic Inspections
- 5.1 Food Safety
- 5.2 Food Safety Controls In Connection With the European Commission Recommendation 1999/26/EC
- 5.3 Inspections exposing adulterations
- 5.4 Complex Controls
- 5.5 Controls of Documentation
- 6. Laboratories
- 7. Sanctions
- 8. Inspections Carried out in Production
- 9. Registration
- 10. Certification
- 11. Complaints
- 12. International Relations
- 13. Information for the General Public
- 14. Amendment to Legal Regulations
- 15. Conclusion
- Abbreviations and explanatory notes
A process of re-accreditation of laboratories of CAFIA Regional Inspectorates (RI) in Hradec Králové and Olomouc, carried out by the Czech Accreditation Institute (CAI) in accordance with CSN EN 45001 standard, was successfully completed in 1999. The external and internal CAI personnel assessed impartially and independently all tests covering the subject matter of accreditation. The CAFIA RI laboratory in Hradec Králové has 299 tests accredited and the CAFIA RI laboratory in Olomouc has 271 tests accredited.
In parallel, CAI carried out an audit of the already accredited CAFIA laboratories in Regional Inspectorates in Prague and Brno in 1999
Proficiency Testing
CAFIA received authorisation form CAI to organise and assess the inter-laboratory proficiency tests within the system of inter-laboratory proficiency testing system, in which approximately 115 laboratories both from the Czech Republic and abroad were involved. Based on the authorisation CAFIA organised the following tests in 1999:
- determinations of nitrates,
- determinations of additives in wine,
- determinations of vitamins in fortified beverages,
- determinations of phthalates, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylcarbamate and ethanol in spirits,
- classical methods of wine testing,
- microbiologic determinations.
In addition, CAFIA takes part in the international comparison tests within the FAPAS and PHLS systems (organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Great Britain) and also in comparison tests organised by the Dutch Food Inspection Agency Service.
Proficiency Assessment of the Sub-contracted Laboratories
For purposes of accepting the test results, especially with respect to food conformity assessment (under the Ministry of Health Decree No. 220/98 Coll.), CAFIA carried out audits in some selected laboratories in 1999. This means that proficiency was assessed on the basis of the laboratory quality system audit and results of comparison tests.
Development and Implementation of New Testing Methods
Development of some selected testing methods, including their verification and subsequent use by the Inspection Department, was completed in 1999. This included mainly determinations of:
- antioxidants - erythorbic acid,
- some selected natural dyes - cochineal, lycopene, annato, bixin, norbixin,
- flavourings and stimulants - taurin,
- acids - calcium-dinatrium, some selected organic acids,
- new types of pesticide residua,
- nitrosamines,
- new type of micro-organism - Vibrio parahaemolyticus,
- values of sedimentation.
Metrology
Activities carried out in the field of metrology
- inspections of foodstuffs identified by the producers with a symbol "e",
- measurements of food storage temperatures for the purpose of gathering information to amend Decree No. 326/97 Coll. of the Ministry of Agriculture, and measurements of temperatures of food samples for microbiological tests in transport and storage,
- amendments to rules on identification of products with a symbol "e".
Co-operation with External Laboratories
In 1999, co-operation with external laboratories was established in order to perform some selected types of laboratory tests (specified in brackets):