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FDA to provide state and local governments with food-testing gear

The Food and Drug Administration announced on July 23 a new program in which it will help state, local and tribal governments obtain the laboratory equipment they would need to test fruits, vegetables, juices, milk, fish and other foods for indications of a chemical terrorism event.

Under the effort, the FDA would sign cooperative agreements with state and local governments for equipment, supplies, personnel, training and facility upgrades to their chemistry laboratories that are part of the nationwide Food Emergency Response Laboratory Network, nicknamed FERN.

The FDA would purchase -- and continue to own -- the major equipment provided to the state and local labs. The total budget for this program was not specified in the FDA’s announcement.

FDA is particularly keen on upgrading these laboratories’ capabilities to perform gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry; liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry; inductively coupled plasma/ mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and other antibody-based analyses.

"There is a particular desire to promote a continuing, reliable capability and capacity for laboratory analyses of food and food products for the rapid detection and identification of toxic chemicals or toxins," said a notice posted by the FDA in the Federal Register on July 23.

The FDA expects that sample analyses would be completed within two weeks and reported to FERN.

FERN laboratories can apply for these cooperative agreements for 30 days after publication of the official announcement.

Additional information is available from , of the FDA, at 301-827-7162.

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