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DTU to expand its scientific advice to the EU on chemicals in food

Food, fish and agriculture Food safety

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has been appointed EU Reference Laboratory in the fields of processing contaminants in food as well as metals and nitrogenous compounds in feed and food.

The EU Commission has appointed the National Food Institute as EU Reference Laboratory in two new fields, processing contaminants in food and metals, and nitrogenous compounds in feed and food.

”We see the appointments as the EU Commission’s recognition of our professional expertise within the field of chemical analysis of food, quality assurance and our general competencies in scientific advice giving. We are very proud of that,” Director of Institute Christine Nellemann says.

The tasks of an EU Reference Laboratory

The EU Commission has appointed a number of EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs), whose task it is to ensure a high analytical quality in the European control system. This is done through collaboration with the national reference laboratories, which have been appointed by each Member State.

The EURLs are e.g. responsible for ensuring that the national reference laboratories use the correct analytical methods in the control of food and feed, new analytical methods are developed when necessary, and that the analytical quality of the national reference laboratories is put to the test.

"The appointment as EU reference laboratories shows that the National Food Institute has a very high degree of expertise and can deliver work of a very high quality within the areas of analytical food chemistry and antibiotic resistance. "

The EURLs also advise the EU on official control and analytical methods, including giving advice on what can be subjected to control. Last but not least, the EURLs play a key role in the food chemistry contingency system for unexpected incidents.

On 1 March 2018, The National Food Institute officially appointed EU Reference Laboratory for processing contaminants in food (EURL-PC) and for metals and nitrogenous compounds (EURL-MN). The new reference laboratories will now start planning their work programmes for the coming year.

Four EURLs at the National Food Institute

The National Food Institute is already EU Reference Laboratory for pesticides in cereals and feeding stuff (EURL-CF) as well as EU Reference Laboratory for antimicrobial resistance (EURL-AR). 

Similarly, the National Food Institute is tasked with being National Reference Laboratory in a number of areas in relation to the Danish food authorities.

"The appointment as EU reference laboratories shows that the National Food Institute has a very high degree of expertise and can deliver work of a very high quality within the areas of analytical food chemistry and antimicrobial resistance. The institute's expertise in these areas is drawn on – not only in Europe but also internationally," Christine Nellemann says.

Read more

Read more about the institute’s work as reference laboratories on the National Food Institute’s website