Texas Animal Food Product Testing and Food Defense for Microbiology, Chemistry, and Radiochemistry. - OVERALL RESEARCH PLAN, title: Texas Animal Food Product Surveillance, Food Defense, Method Development and Capacity Increase for Microbiology, Chemistry and Radiochemistry Abstract: The overall aim of the Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) submission to the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM) program is to support the United States (US) integrated food safety system. Specifically, this program focuses on the disciplines of microbiology, chemistry and radiochemistry in the animal food product testing and food defense tracks, whole genome sequencing maintenance, method development/validation and capability/capacity development. OTSC commits to utilize and expand it capabilities in the three target disciplines: microbiology, chemistry and radiochemistry and continue ISO 17025:2017 accreditation. OTSC will follow the LFFM Sample Guide for planning, collecting, analyzing, reporting, and follow up on LFFM samples and engage the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service (FFCS) in all sample collection and compliance activities. OTSC agrees to accept and analyze samples collected by FDA or other states for all three discipline and implement GFP- tagged control strains for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli, conduct non-target screening, and perform FERN food defense methods CHE-0008, CHE-0006 and EMA 4.7. OTSC possess the ability to analyze human and animal food for the detection of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-emitting radionuclides. The OTSC laboratory is ISO 17025:2017 accredited to perform microbiology, chemistry and radiochemistry animal food surveillance and food defense. OTSC is comprised of a laboratory which is titled the Agriculture Analytical Service (AAS) and a state regulatory program officially titled the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service (FFCS), hereafter referred to as the Service. OTSC is funded through inspection fees as established in the Texas Commercial Feed Control Act (Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 141 and no LFFM funds are used to displace state appropriated funding. The headquarters of OTSC are located on the Texas A&M University College Station campus, which includes a fully equipped laboratory to perform all aspects of the LFFM project. Through participating in this program, OTSC will enhance the capacity and capabilities of the Texas animal food testing laboratory to support the US integrated food safety system. OTSC has a current 20.88 form and will follow version 2 of the LFFM sampling guide.
