Regional Data Centres

OCEANIAFOODS Laboratory gains accreditation for nutrient analyses

Suva, Fiji --- OCEANIAFOODS Laboratory gains accreditation for nutrient analyses SUVA, FIJI ---The University of the South Pacific (USP) Institute of Applied Science (IAS) has been awarded full accreditation for its Analytical Laboratory situated at its Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji from world-renowned accreditation body, international Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ). The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) funded the accreditation process as part of a technical cooperation project to strengthen analytical capabilities in the Pacific. FAO highlighted the importance of achieving accreditation because food composition data are fundamental to food trade, agriculture policy development, nutrition education, and the setting/achieving nutrition goals and guidelines. The double burden of malnutrition that plagues Pacific Island countries cannot be addressed without knowing the composition of foods in the food supply. The IAS laboratory is now the only laboratory in the South West Pacific recognised by IANZ and qualified to carry out test to determine the contents of nutrients and contaminants in foods. Lab director, Professor Bill Aalbersberg said companies that had previously sent food samples that needed quality testing overseas, could now get the same services at the university's analytical laboratory. "It took us years of hard work and dedication from the IAS team to achieve the accreditation for the Food Unit," Professor Aalbersberg said. "The accreditation enhances our reputation internally and externally as there has always been perceptions that because we are in the South Pacific we just sit under palm trees, on white sandy beaches and we are not competent to do things by international standards," Professor Aalbersberg said. He said it was because of this perception that people questioned the quality of tests carried out at the laboratory but he said this would change with the international accreditation. "It was a time consuming and arduous process to achieve these high standards and it required the most stringent and thorough examination of our laboratory and facility," Professor Aalbersberg said. The accreditation requires careful detailing of procedures employed in the laboratory, from instrument calibration and use to staff training, sample handling and record keeping to standard operating procedures for all methods used. It also includes an annual review of the Laboratory Quality System by the representatives from SPAS, the government laboratories and the Laboratory's client. USP represents Fiji in OCEANIAFOODS, a regional data centre in the INFOODS network.