Testing and laboratory services
What is Testing and Laboratory Services
Testing service is one of the most important departments in the Bureau of Standards because of its vital roles it plays in testing different ranges of food and non-Food material. As food safety has become an important public health issue and testing laboratories play an important role in keeping the public safe from health hazards. It is a great honor to give a summary of testing service.
The department of testing service has 20 qualified staff and was headed by the acting director who is responsible for the day-to-day operation.
The Testing service has three Laboratories, namely:
- General Chemistry,
- Microbiology and,
- Cosmetic lab.
Activities
The Testing service and laboratory is testing broader range of food and non-food samples and has been using East Africa standards for articles of food that regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
The Functions of testing laboratories is to test food from:
- Adulterations
- Pathogens
- Pesticide residue
- Chemical and physical contaminants
- Microbial contaminants
- Non- permitted additives, color etc.
- Antibiotic in food.
- Afflatoxin
It is vitally necessary to ensure that the food is free from physical, chemical and microbiological hazards of these elements. Without testing, food producers as well as manufacturers of food products, cannot ensure that these elements are naturally occurring toxins.
1-General Chemistry Laboratory:
As part of our complete range of testing for food at all stage of production, including environmental testing and quality assurance. We are proud of our service and ability to perform all analytical chemistry with regard to food testing. The lab employ only validated methods and procedures. These methods includes: AOAC, ISO, EAS, FDA and other validated method.
We currently carries out chemical analysis of foods and Non- food samples which includes:( drinks, animal feed, textiles, Water Quality Analysis, Analysis of Alcoholic Beverages and non-alcoholic beverages, Edible Oil, Tobacco and Tobacco products, Sugar and Sugar Products, Pulses, Honey, various types of flour, gum Arabicand many others).
Parameters
Acids , Ammonia, Amylase, Ash/AIA, Brix, Crude Fiber, Cyclamates, Density, Fat content( All Method), Fat and Oil analysis( FFA&PV), Juice analysis, Histamine, Iodine, Nitrate/Nitrite, PH, Protein/Casein/PDB/WPN, Refractive index, Residual, Bromine/Chlorine, Salt/Chloride, Solubility(Index), Titratable Acidity, Total Solid/ Moisture, Viscosity, Water activity and many others.
2-Microbiology Laboratory:
Comply with ISO and EAS regulations, the laboratories offers an extensive range of methods for detection of microorganism, pathogens and many toxins of concern to the food professional. The microbiology lab test food process at all stage of their production (Fish, cereals, meat, milk and their products, alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages and many other foods items).
Methods and Techniques
Rapid and classical methods are used in compliance with ISO and EAS and other official compendia.
Indicator organism
- Aerobic plate count
- Anaerobic plate count
- Coliform
- coli
- Yeast and mould
- Flat sours
- Lactobacilli
- Others
Pathogens
- Bacillus
- Campylobacter
- coli 0157: H 7
- Listeria monocytogen
- Listeria species
- Salmonella
- Shiga toxin producing E. coli
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Yersinia
Toxins
- Aflatoxin
- Bacillus cereus
- Staph enterotoxin
- Other mycotoxins
Investigative microbiology
- Biochemical organism identification
Cosmetics Laboratory
Analysis of liquid soap and laundry soap, toilet cleanser, hair shampoo, pure petroleum jelly, skin care creams, lotion and gel, chemical hair relaxer, hand sanitizer and hair waving products.