"Great progress has been made since the first round of service contracts with the laboratories in the official agencies, in developing numerous multi-agency laboratory networks to promote cross agency working," she said. "It is important that laboratories are resourced sufficiently to achieve the highest standards of operation and I am urging all laboratories to be fully accredited by 2005 when the next round of service contracts are agreed with the FSAI.
"It is heartening that a number of laboratories have already achieved this high standard and are accredited; however, those that are not accredited and need to make this a matter of utmost priority."
Westby praised laboratory personnel for the extensive level and range of analyses carried out in Ireland. She stated that while a lot had been done to date to develop food laboratory structures in Ireland, there was still a lot more areas that require development and investment to achieve an optimum level of efficiency and effectiveness, with the ultimate goal of further protecting human health from foodborne illness.
"Food analysis benefits consumers through the speedy detection of problems leading to better control of potential foodborne illness," said Westby. "Laboratory work provides the scientific basis to link human cases of infection to contaminated food and to providing information to the sampling and inspecting officers to assist in tracking infections throughout the entire country.
"Rapid detection of foodborne outbreaks allows control measures to be put in place quickly and reduces the number of people falling ill. It is only by identifying the strains of bacteria, the source of a food contamination and/or establishing the common links between affected people, will a contaminated food product or bad hygiene practice be stopped."
Westby also acknowledged the contribution made by private laboratories and those laboratories owned by specific food businesses providing 'own check' testing services to the food industry. This allows industry to self monitor compliance with food legislation and measure the quality of the food it produces.
"Food laboratories in Ireland carry out testing on every conceivable product or commodity from eggs, milk and meat, right through to fish, fats, flavourings, ice cream and alcohol. They are testing for a wide range of microbiological and chemical parameters including pesticides, antibiotics, metals, food contact materials and bacteria. Through shared information among all our laboratories both private and public, a food incident can be recognised and corrective action applied rapidly.
"Industry has a clear legal responsibility to place safe foods on the market and those found in breach will feel the force of the full arm of the law and the consequential penalties."
The FSAI also used the conference to launch the first edition of a laboratory guide, which provides an overview of each the food laboratory working under service contract to the FSAI. It details the main areas of each organisations work and the type of analysis carried out. In addition the guide provides the legislative framework under which samples are tested.