Silliker Ibérica has obtained accreditation for the new tool that ENAC presented earlier this year whose goal was to identify integrated accredited services, the accreditation programmes. Therefore, the laboratory becomes the first one accredited for the three agri-food sector programmes: "Nutrition information", "Gluten and allergens" and "Microbiology in food".

Accreditation programmes are intended to serve as a tool for the market to easily identify the bodies that have demonstrated technical competence to carry out conformity assessment activities (testing, inspection or certification) that cover a comprehensive need in a sector.

Silliker General Manager, Josep Mestres, indicates that this complete accredited coverage meets not only the needs of its customers, but also the market's:

"They provide clients with greater credibility of results towards third parties due to the reduced time and cost of discussions with third parties as well as greater confidence in what this laboratory actually specializes in, as a testing expert. As for the general market, accreditation in these programmes has helped more easily identify the laboratories really competent in food microbiology, testing for nutritional information and food allergens", concludes Josep Mestres.

"Since 2001, our laboratory has managed to carry out the 138 accredited tests. When ENAC published technical notes for the accreditation programmes, we were clear that, for our customers and for us, it was important that we get accredited for the new programmes for nutritional information testing, microbiological food and gluten and allergens in food. In addition, the task was made easier by the fact that we had already accredited most tests included within them. And obtaining accreditation for these programmes gives us a clear picture of the competence and experience of this matter", explained the Managing Director of Silliker Ibérica.

Agri-Food testing accreditation programmes

To register for the three programmes, Silliker offers all of the analytical services asked for by Nutrition Information, as the accredited programme integrates the necessary test sets to provide nutritional information on foodstuff labelling in the terms provided for in articles 30 to 35 of the EC Regulation No. 1169 / 2011.

In addition, the Gluten and Allergen programme is aimed at "Determining substances or products causing allergies or intolerances" and consists of the main test sets necessary to comply with article 21 of the EC Regulation No. 1169 / 2011 to declare the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances on the label.

And finally, the test sets included in the Microbiology in Food programme include those tests which verify the procedures' proper functioning based on the principles of food safety, APPCC and correct hygiene practices, according to the microbiological criteria set out in Annex I of the EC Regulation No. 2073 / 2005 and its subsequent amendments.