Friday, November 22, 2024
11/22/2024
PAR‐20‐105: Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM) (U19) Clinical Trials Not Allowed Overall Summary The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Laboratory is applying for the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model to build and maintain our human and animal food testing capacity in support of the Integrated Food Safety System. The scope of ISO 17025 accreditation of the NDA Laboratory contains six food microbiology and four food/feed chemistry methods. Over the years, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation has become a part of our culture. We follow written procedures in our quality management system to ensure that our analysts are trained and authorized to perform sample receiving, sample preparation, scope methods, and to review data before issuing a final test report. We also have piloted the submission of FDA data through the National Food Safety Data Exchange. Our Quality Assurance teammates perform internal audits on each accredited method every four years and our management system every two years. The NDA Laboratory has been an active member of the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) since September 2006. We have a long history of performing FERN PT exercises and a series of small‐scale method development, validation, and matrix extension studies to strengthen our capabilities. In times of emergency, we are able to rearrange testing priorities. We also are very willing to take on special projects that help us enhance our human and animal food testing practices. For instance, we participated on the Partnership for Food Protection Lab Sciences Workgroup subcommittee to develop a Compliance Review Checklist. We have plans to refresh several pieces of equipment. An ABI 7500 will replace the BAX to expand detection of food safety pathogens. We can use the ABI 7500 to develop Cyclospora testing capacity. An Agilent LC‐MS‐MS on loan from FDA will be replaced by a Vanquish Flex binary UHPLC coupled with an Orbitrap Exploris 120 MS. We have several ideas for chemistry method development to enhance national food testing surveillance programs. We also plan to remodel part of our feed testing laboratory to include more sample grinding space, which will increase our sample throughput for animal food product testing. We will collaborate with agency regulatory programs to meet our sample collection needs for human and animal food surveillance projects. These activities support Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards and Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards. These food surveillance data can contribute the national goal of driving risk‐based and prevention focused food safety objectives.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
