Effective February 1, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) program. This program focuses on the testing of food in certain circumstances by accredited laboratories, as required under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
What is the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) Program?
The FDA established the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) program as required by FSMA section 202(a), which added section 422 to the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 350k).
Establishing this program will help the FDA improve the safety of the U.S. food supply and protect U.S. consumers by adopting a modern, preventive, and risk-based approach to food safety regulation. This helps ensure that certain food testing of importance to public health is conducted subject to appropriate oversight and in accordance with appropriate model standards to produce reliable and valid test results.
Additional information about the program can be found in a recent ANAB webinar, The New FDA Food Testing Requirements: Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF), presented by Jason Stine, ANAB Senior Director of Accreditation:
What is Set in the FSMA Final Rule on LAAF?
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) final rule on Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) sets a laboratory accreditation program for the testing of food in certain circumstances.
Under the LAAF program, the FDA recognizes accreditation bodies (ABs) that will accredit laboratories to the standards established in the final rule (referred to as LAAF-accredited laboratories). This final rule is relevant to accreditation bodies (like ANAB) and food testing laboratories that wish to participate in the program.
Is ANAB a Recognized Accreditation Body?
Yes! Effective June 1, 2022, ANAB has been accepted as a recognized AB for the FSMA LAAF program. ANAB-specific supplemental requirements have been implemented for the LAAF program. The FDA approval process came in two steps, with ANAB now listed in the online public registry for recognized LAAF accreditation bodies by satisfying the requirements for participating in the program, as well as procedures for how the FDA will manage and oversee the program.
Laboratories wanting to participate in the program can learn more about ANAB LAAF accreditation here submit their application to ANAB now. Request a quote for ANAB accreditation here.
ANAB Accreditation for FDA Testing Programs
ANAB is currently an approved accreditation body for many other FDA programs, such as the Accreditation Scheme for Conformity Assessment (ASCA) Pilot program (learn more in our post ANAB Recognized as an Accreditation Body for FDA ASCA Pilot Program), and is familiar with the FDA application process.
