SCOPE
The Pesticide Residues and POPs Lab of the SGL (PR-SGL) is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Pesticides Residues in Food and the Official Laboratory for the Monitoring & Surveillance of Pesticide Residues in Food of Plant and Animal Origin.
The Laboratory has been also nominated as the NRL for the Dioxins and PCBs analysis in Food.
ACTIVITIES
Compliance control, Monitoring and Surveillance Programs
Programs are designed to cover needs for early identification and prevention as well as for compliance control. The Lab in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Ministry of Health (department of Medical and Public Health Services) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (departments of Agriculture and Veterinary Services) design annual monitoring programs for the control of Pesticide Residues in Food.
The design is based on criteria such as:
- Community Monitoring Program as it is defined by the Commission Control Regulation
- Patterns of actual pesticide usage and commodity-pesticide combinations for which improper use of the pesticide is expected or experienced from previous years monitoring (Violating samples are considered)
- Information available from the EU Rapid Alert System
- Production or import volume of the commodity
- Cost-effectiveness and existing capabilities and resources
The sampling regime is based on a combination of «at random» sampling and target oriented sampling focusing towards problematic pesticides/food combinations and identification of existing and emerging problems and promote corrective measures.
The programs cover samples of plant and animal origin. They are implemented in cooperation with the competent departments of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment
RESEARCH
Applied research is important for both, identifying emerging problems and define future monitoring priorities and also for validation studies in order to expand the analytical scope.
Research Programs carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Health:
- Monitoring of infant formulae and follow on formulae for the determination of organochlorine pesticides and non dioxin like PCBs (2008)
- Monitoring of baby food and food for young children of plant origin for the determination of pesticides residues (2008)
- Monitoring of children’s nutrition and baby food of plant origin for the determination of pesticides residues (2008)
- Monitoring of pesticides residues and non dioxin like PCBs in olive oil (2009)
- Monitoring of pesticides residues in cereals and seed oils and non dioxin like PCBs in seed oils (2010)
- Monitoring of pesticides residues and Persistent Organic Pollutants in liver samples (2011)
- Expansion of the analytical scope in order to comply with the provisions of the Control Regulation (2012)
- Monitoring of pesticides residues in Cyprus wine (2012)
Research Program MEDPOL
The Lab participates to the international research program MEDPOL for the assessment of the pollution of the Mediterranean sea. Within the frame of the program determination of chlorinated hydrocarbons in fish Mullus barbatus is required.
PARTNERSHIPS
The Lab participates in EU committees and working groups, EFSA meetings / working groups and Workshops.
Participation in EU Committees and Working Groups:
- Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health-Plant Protection Products - Pesticide residues
- Committee of experts on "Persistent Organic Pollutants in Food - Dioxins / PCBs"
- Networking group on monitoring of pesticide residues
WORKSHOPS
- Participation in Workshops organized by the European Reference Laboratories on Pesticides Residues and Dioxins and PCBs in Food
- European Pesticide Residues Workshop (EPRW)
PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL COMMITTEES
- The Pest Control Products Board (PCPB)
- The Technical Committee for evaluation of the applications for pesticides registration
- Risk assessment group of the SGL
The scope of accreditation of the Laboratory according to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 can be found on the web page CYS-CYSAB (Accredited Bodies, Laboratories of the State General Laboratory of Cyprus).
EU Pesticides Database