Laboratory Quality Culture (LQC) is a culture throughout the analytical laboratory that continually views quality as  a primary goal and views tools of analytical quality assurance such as proficiency testing (PT) not only to identify dysfunctions and incompetence but also as tools to learn and to improve processes and analytical methods.  Proficiency testing  is the determination of testing performance by means of inter-laboratory comparisons.  The Food Safety & Modernization Act (FSMA) contains several directives that align with LQC and PT.  Section 305 of the Act mandates development of a “comprehensive plan to expand the technical, scientific, and regulatory food safety capacity of foreign   governments, and their respective food industries, from which foods are exported to the United States.”  LQC   and PT will be a critical and significant part of compliance to FSMA. Proficiency testing with affect several sections of the Act such as (1) support laboratory accreditation, (2) building domestic and international laboratory capacity, (3) surveillance, (4) training, and (5) development of  laboratory standards.  In addition, the role of PT in each country varies, such as (1) controlling market access, (2) accreditation, (3) training, (4) internal AQC, (5) method performance, (6) reference materials, (7) calculation of measurement uncertainty and, (8) dissemination of lab   quality culture. Through an effective PT and data analysis, comparability and equivalence of laboratory data can be obtained and used to assess the efficiency of the tested labs. Therefore, one of the objectives of this symposium is to bring speakers from U.S., EU, South America, China that can address international perspectives and present case studies that affect global food safety.  This symposium will function as a network of national and international PT organizations that drive laboratory quality culture to ensure a safe, worldwide food supply.

Presentations