23097-QS-Report-Fleisch_A4_GB.indd

QS-Report: Meat and Meat Products | Issue November 2018 possible correlations between diagnostic data and anti- biotics use, as well as mortality in the live stock. BALVI GmbH, a company specialised in the processing of informa- tion on animal health, as well as food and feed safety, has developed a demonstrator (“information and service plat- form”) for data exchange and data evaluation. The data assessment and indices development were undertaken by the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. All results were critically examined in practical projects with more than 40 participating pig fattening farms - which provided data for this project - as well as by three of the supplied slaughterhouses and two responsible veterinary inspection o ces. QS-Report Meat and Meat Products QS laboratories deliver reliable results Laboratory performance assessment for feed and ring tests for salmonellae prove high analysis quality of laboratories To ensure the analytical quality of the QS-approved laboratories, all laboratories regularly participate in laboratory performance assessment and interlaboratory comparisons organized by QS. This is a key instrument in achieving comparable analysis results and a sustainable and consistent high-level performance of the laboratories. The appraisal of the laboratory performance assessment for feed and the salmonella interlaboratory tests con- rm that QS-approved laboratories can be relied upon. With the laboratory performance assessment for feed, which will be regularly repeated in the future, and the annual salmonella ring test, QS objectively puts the analyt- ical quality and performance capabilities of the approved laboratories to the test. The periodical performance checks pay o for all parties involved. The participants from the private sector can rely on the analyses carried out by the laboratories. “There is now a good number of laboratories providing clearly correct results. The QS performance assessments have signi cantly contributed to this achievement” , highlights Birgit Maier-Stein, specialist for quality management at the German Animal Nutrition Association (Deutscher Verband Tiernahrung e.V.) and corroborates: “The QS-approval is a good reference for anyone looking for a laboratory - an important contribution for the entire industry.” QS LABORATORY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FOR FEED PROVES RELIABILITY OF ANALYSIS RESULTS The results of this year’s laboratory performance assess- ment for feed attest the high analytical quality of the lab- oratories in QS feed monitoring. 52 laboratories from six countries (Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, theNetherlands and Austria) received samples of maize flour, which they had to analyse for dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a given timeframe. 41 lab- oratories met the challenge success- fully, 29 of which were absolutely error-free. Eight laboratories did not identify only one or more individual compounds of the parameter dl-PCB, two others made too many quanti - cation errors. Each laboratory receives individual feedback and - depending on the test result - is requested to take improvement measures. Thus, the laboratories bene t from the tests, because they gain awareness of their own weak spots and have the possi- bility to improve the quality of their analyses accordingly. VALIDITY OF LABORATORY RESULTS OF SALMONELLA MONITORING CON FIRMED Once a year, QS carries out a ring test with the laboratories that work for QS in the salmonella monitoring. In this ring test, the laboratories must test 10 serum and 10 meat juice sam- ples from pigs for antibodies against salmonella, using one of the three recognised salmonella test kits. Also in this case, the latest evaluations prove that the laboratories provide valid test results: 28 of the 29 ap- proved laboratories passed the last salmonella ring test.