OUR ACTIVITIES

Our activities take place within the National Health Service (NHS), in support of the GMO testing official control laboratories, the national and regional Competent Authorities and the European Commission. In particular we are in charge of the following:

• Development and validation of analytical methods for the detection and quantification of GMOs in food and feed, with special regard to PCR based methods;

• Coordination of collaborative trials for full validation of analytical methods;

• Harmonisation and dissemination of reference methods;

• Technical and scientific support to GMO testing official control laboratories;

• Management of control samples and reference materials;

• Assistance and support the Ministry of Health for the preparation of the ordinary multiannual control plans (as provided for in Regulation (EC) No 882/2004) and contingency plans;

• Development and management, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, of the national database of GM food and feed official control;

• Organisation of capacity building and training programmes for the players of NHS, and, on behalf of the European Commission, for third countries and for candidate countries for accession to the European Union.