The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today the addition of testing peanuts that are destined for the European Union (EU) to the Laboratory Approval Program for Analysis of Aflatoxins (LAP-Aflatoxin) at the request of the American Peanut Council (APC). The addition will ensure peanuts destined for the EU meet testing requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 401/2006. Laboratories must be approved under the LAP-Aflatoxin to provide aflatoxin testing for peanuts destined for the EU, effective January 24, 2022.
Through the LAP-Aflatoxin, AMS’ Laboratory Approval Service (LAS) approves, or accredits, laboratories to perform testing services in support of domestic and international trade. At the request of industry, other Federal agencies, or foreign governments, LAS administers laboratory approval programs to verify that the analysis of food and agricultural products meet country or customer-specified requirements and ensures that the testing of products to be marketed is conducted by qualified and approved laboratories. LAP requirements include good laboratory, quality assurance and control practices, applicable domestic and international standards (such as ISO/IEC 17025), established methods and accepted equipment, and audits. Laboratories voluntarily participate and pay program fees.
Eleven laboratories were approved to provide aflatoxin testing for peanuts to the EU. The LAP-Aflatoxin Official Listing of USDA and USDA-Approved Laboratories has been updated to reflect the approved laboratories.
Additional information about LAP-Aflatoxin, including how to apply, is available on the AMS website at the LAP-Aflatoxin page. For more information, contact the AMS Science & Technology Program, Laboratory Approval Service at LAS@usda.gov.
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