Briefing Session on

Outsourcing ofOutsourcing ofFood Tests: ood ests

Review and Way Forward

K.K. CHOISenior Chemist-in-charge

Government LaboratoryGovernment LaboratoryOctober 2010

Review of Review of Outsourcing Contracts

in 2010-11

Outsourcing in 2010-11Outsourcing in 2010 1118 contracts issued by end of Oct 1018 contracts issued by end of Oct 10

total about 107,000 tests t t i d 3 th t 1contract period: 3 months to 1 year

exercise ends in March 2011Preservatives (including SO2)

general foodstuff beverages preservedgeneral foodstuff, beverages, preserved fruits and vegetables

H t l i l f d t ffHeavy metals in general foodstuffPesticides in fruits and vegetablesgOther Contaminants in foodstuff

Salient PointsAccredited in corresponding tests

maintaining accreditation status throughoutmaintaining accreditation status throughout contract period

Test sample collectionTest sample collectionwithin specified time after noticeat Homantinat Homantin

Report results within specified periodRetention of remaining test samples

Th I d C t t (F d Additi )The Issued Contracts (Food Additives)Sulphur dioxide and other preservativesSulphur dioxide and other preservatives

Four contracts on general food and specific foodsSO2, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, parabens and/or salicylic acid2, , , p yabout 2,900 samplesreporting limits: 8 mg/kg for SO2, 30 mg/kg for parabens and 50 mg/kg for others

Nitrate/NitriteShort-term contracts on meat and dairy productsabout 450 samplesreporting limit: 5 mg/kg for nitrite (as NaNO2), 30 mg/kg for nitrate (as NaNO3)

The Issued Contracts (Food Additives)( )

Propionic acidPropionic acidShort term contracts on flour confectionaryabout 230 samplesabout 230 samplesreporting limit: 50 mg/kg in sample

MelamineContract on general foodContract on general foodabout 600 samplesreporting limit: 1 mg/kg in samplep g g g p

The Issued Contracts (Food Additives)( )

Boric acidBoric acidShort term contract on general foodabout 360 samplesabout 360 samplesreporting limit: 50 mg/kg

Sudan DyesSudan DyesContracts on general food productsSudan I, II, III, IV, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B,Sudan I, II, III, IV, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B, Dimethyl Yellowabout 680 samplesreporting limit: 20 μg/kg in sample

The issued Contracts (Veterinary Drug Residues)M l hit GMalachite Green

One contract for fish productsMalachite Green and Leucomalachite GreenMalachite Green and Leucomalachite Greenabout 320 samplesreporting limit: Sum of MG and LG: 2 mg/kgreporting limit: Sum of MG and LG: 2 mg/kg

ChloramphenicolChloramphenicolOne contract for meat and aquatic productsabout 270 samplesabout 270 samplesreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg

The issued Contracts (Heavy Metals)7 H t l7 Heavy metals

Sb, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and SnTwo contracts i l f d t ff d i f it dTwo contracts in general foodstuff and in fruits and vegetables About 3000 samplespreporting limits: 0.02 mg/kg – 0.5 mg/kg

4 Heavy metals Hg, Pb, Sn and AsgAbout 60 samplesreporting limits: 0.01 mg/kg – 0.015 mg/kg

The issued Contracts (Pesticides)

Organochlorine pesticides in fruits and vegetablesg

One contracts on 35 OC pesticidesabout 650 samplesreporting limit: 0.01 mg/kg – 0.015 mg/kg

Organophosphorus pesticides in fruits and vegetables

One contract on 44 OP pesticidesabout 500 samplesreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg

The issued Contracts (Pesticides)N th l b t i f it d t blN-methyl carbamate in fruits and vegetables

One contract on 4 carbamatesabout 500 samplesabout 500 samplesreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg

Pyrethroids in fruits and vegetablesO t t 8 th idOne contract on 8 pyrethroidsabout 500 samplesreporting limit: 0 1 mg/kgreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg

No. of Samples

Food additives

Pesticides

VG

MetalsMetals

Way Forward:Way Forward:Outsourcing ContractsOutsourcing Contracts

in 2011-12

Outsourcing Contracts in 2011-12

Over +107,000 testsSome contracts start in April 2011Some contracts start in April 2011

invitation for quotation starts in February 2011Contract period varies

one yearone yearhalf yearh t t t t b t 2 3 thshort-term contracts about 2-3 months

Outsourcing: Test Areas

Food additivesFood contaminantsPesticide residuesVeterinary drug residuesVeterinary drug residues[Nutrition labelling][Nutrition labelling]

General RequirementsAccredited in the corresponding tests

maintaining the accreditation status throughoutmaintaining the accreditation status throughout the contract period

Test sample collectionTest sample collectionwithin specified time after notice

t ifi d l tiat specified locationsReport results within specified periodRetention / return of remaining test samplessamples

Contracts on Additives (1)Contracts on Additives (1)SO2 and other preservatives in general foodstuff

SO2; benzoic, sorbic and salicylic acids; and bparabens

reporting limit: 8 mg/kg for SO2, 30 mg/kg for each of the parabens and 50 mg/kg for each ofeach of the parabens and 50 mg/kg for each of the others

Short term contracts on preservativesShort-term contracts on preservativesin specific foods such as beverages, preserved fruits and vegetablesfruits and vegetables SO2; benzoic and sorbic acids; parabens

Contracts on Additives (2)Contracts on Additives (2)Boric acid in general foodstuff

reporting limit: 50 mg/kgreporting limit: 50 mg/kgPropionic acid in flour confectionary

reporting limit: 50 mg/kgNitrate / nitrite in meat and dairy products/ y p

reporting limit : 30 mg/kg as NaNO3 and 5 mg/kg as NaNO2NaNO2

Sudan dyes in general foodstuffSudan I II III IV Sudan Orange G Sudan Red 7BSudan I, II, III, IV, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B and Dimethyl Yellowreporting limit : 20 g/kg eachreporting limit : 20 μg/kg each

Contracts on ContaminantsMetallic contaminants in general foodstuff / Fruits and vegetablesand vegetables4 heavy metals (As, Pb, Hg, Sn) in selected matricesmatrices

Analyte Reporting LimitsAntimony (Sb) 0 2 ppmAntimony (Sb) 0.2 ppmArsenic (As) 0.1 ppm as As2O3

Cadmium (Cd) 0.02 ppmChromium (Cr) 0.05 ppmLead (Pb) 0.1 ppmMercury (Hg) 0.03 ppm

Melamine in general foodstuff

y ( g) ppTin (Sn) 10 ppm

Melamine in general foodstuffreporting limit: 1 mg/kg

Contracts on Pesticide Residues

Organochlorine pesticides (×35)Organochlorine pesticides (×35)fruits and vegetables / general foodstuffreporting limit: 0.01 mg/kg for each

O h h ti id ( 42)Organophosphorus pesticides (×42)fruits and vegetables / general foodstuffreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg for eachp g g g

Pyrethroids (×8)fruits and vegetables / general foodstuffreporting limit: 0 1 mg/kg for eachreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg for each

N-Methyl carbamates (×16)fruits and vegetables / general foodstuffreporting limit: 0.1 mg/kg for each

Test parameters: refer tohttp://www.govtlab.gov.hk/english/development.htmp g g g p

Contracts on Veterinary Drug ResiduesContracts on Veterinary Drug Residues

Chloramphenicol in meat and aquaticChloramphenicol in meat and aquatic products

reporting limit: 0 3 μg/kgreporting limit: 0.3 μg/kg

Malachite green in aquatic productsMalachite green in aquatic productsreporting limit: 2 μg/kg for sum of malachite green (MG) and leucomalachite green (LMG)(MG) and leucomalachite green (LMG)

[Nutrition Labelling]

Prepackaged general foodstuff7+1 nutrients7+1 nutrients

energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium

Guidance notes issued by CFSGuidance notes issued by CFSTechnical Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition ClaimsLabelling and Nutrition Claims

Chemical Metrology at GLDesignated Institute of BIPM (International Bureau of Weights & Measures) in 2005Proficiency test (PT) programme

Accredited PT scheme provider in 2006Accredited PT scheme provider in 2006coming programme(s)

Pesticide residues in tea

Certified reference materialCRM in progressCRM in progress

melamine in milk powderheavy metals in herbsy

Thank You