BioFront Technologies named as US agent for Fera’s proficiency testing service
Fapas services and products include matrix-matched reference materials and the proficiency testing portfolio.
Assigned values and acceptable ranges for analytes in Fapas test materials are from data submitted by laboratories who participate in proficiency testing rounds.
American customers of Fera will be able to order Fapas proficiency testing samples and other services from BioFront Technologies.
Fera Science, formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency, is a joint private/public sector venture between Capita and Defra employing more than 350 scientists.
A mutual step forward
Kate Somerwill-Owens, head of Fapas for Fera Science, said the partnership is a step forward for both organisations.
“Fera Science analyses over 90,000 samples a year at our laboratories in York, and our ‘real food’ samples ensure the most accurate and ‘life-like’ proficiency testing results. For our US customers, this will make it easier for them to access our reference materials and services.”
Services and products as a result of the partnership will enable testing laboratories to assess analytical performance of food, water and environmental chemistry, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and microbiology.
They also aid with calibrating instrumentation, determining food fraud, assisting with new analyst training, validating standard and non-standard methods and supporting accreditation programmes such as ISO/IEC 17025/2005.
Timely partnership
Jason Robotham, president of BioFront Technologies, said it will help provide high quality standards and confidence in analytical performance.
“The FDA Food Safety Modernisation Act will soon mandate that certain food testing must be carried out by accredited laboratories; so this collaboration with Fera introducing the Fapas brand is very timely.”
BioFront Technologies will be among the first international agents to offer an improved range of drinking water microbiology proficiency testing samples for the FAPAS 2017/2018 program.
The firm, which has expertise in food allergen testing, uses monoclonal antibodies in its line of MonoTrace kits as the basis for detecting and quantifying trace amounts of allergenic proteins in various foods.
The MonoTrace platform includes ELISA kits that detect milk, egg, soy, gluten, peanut, crustacea, seeds (buckwheat, mustard, and sesame), lupine, and tree nuts (almond, Brazil nut, cashew, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut).
