Introduction of PT
- 1. Overview of Proficiency Testing Services T he Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) York - UK
- 2. FERA The Food and Environment Research Agency FERA is UK Government Executive Agency Part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra ) Over 6 00 scientific staff Public and private sectors Research-based organisation Expanding into private sector Safeguarding the food supply chain and the environment
- 3. FERA – www.fera.defra.gov.uk
- 4. FERA – FAPAS Proficiency Testing http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/foodDrink/proficiencyTesting.cfm
- 5. Quality Assurance Customers need to be assured of data quality Internal Quality Control Validated methods Reference materials Routine blank and recovery checks External Quality Control Accreditation Proficiency testing
- 6. Why Proficiency Testing? Essential element of laboratory quality assurance Comply with regulations and standards Aid laboratory accreditation Import/Export regulations Meet customer requirements Demonstrate competence
- 7. What is Proficiency Testing? The ISO definition of laboratory proficiency testing is: “ Determination of laboratory testing performance by means of inter laboratory comparisons” PT is a test of accuracy by comparing the laboratory results with the ‘true’ value
- 8. FAPAS Proficiency Testing Schemes Launched 2001 by CSL 220 GeMMA food GMO Set up in 1970s by Yorkshire Water, transferred to CSL in 2000 480 LEAP water/environment Launched 1997 from UK MAFF Quality Assessment Scheme 550 FEPAS food microbiology Established 1990 by UK MAFF. ~14,000 tests in 2007/8 First year 2005 1950 15 FAPAS food chemistry plant health Background Labs 2007/8 Scheme
- 9. Participation in Proficiency Testing Any laboratory may participate in FAPAS proficiency testing Laboratories should use the analytical methods of their choice Laboratories may choose to take part in as many, or as few, proficiency tests as they wish Each laboratory receives a confidential report showing anonymous results for all participants
- 10. Conducting Proficiency Tests Prepare test material Check the test material is homogenous Distribute test material Receive participants results Statistically assess participants results Produce the PT report Distribute the report to all participants Whole process informs future PTs
- 11. Analysis and submission of results The participating labs carry out their normal analytical procedure and get a result They send their result to us
- 13. Submitting Results - 2
- 14. Why do results vary? Results always vary, even between good labs No matter how hard you try there will ALWAYS be slight differences in the way you do a task
- 15. What is the true result/correct answer? The consensus: an average of the results submitted – mean, median or mode Information from how the material was prepared Information on what methods were used we can make a best estimate of the true result
- 16. Z-Score
- 17. Interpretation of z-Scores z-scores can be interpreted as: |z| <= 2 ‘satisfactory’ |z| <= 3 ‘questionable’ |z| > 3 ‘unsatisfactory’
- 18. Acceptable Range of results the good labs (those with bars inside the lines) are separated from the not so good (those with bars outside the lines)
- 19. PT Report Confidential: Laboratories given code numbers Comprehensive: Test material preparation Participants results Tables and charts of the results and z-scores Participants methodology
- 20. After the Proficiency Test PTG offer an advice service to participants who perform poorly Surplus test materials can be sold as ‘quality control’ samples FERA Training Courses
- 21. Test Materials Homogeneous test materials are vital for effective proficiency testing Testing/preparation laboratories are accredited if possible Naturally contaminated test materials preferred, if concentrations appropriate Easily mixed to ensure sufficient homogeneity
- 22. Test Materials
- 23. Test Material Homogeneity All participants must receive identical test materials, homogeneous for all analytes At least 10 test materials analysed in duplicate for each analyte Results subject to a statistical protocol to confirm homogeneity
- 24. Stability of Test Materials Test materials must be stable for the duration of the proficiency test Period of testing is shortened if test materials are known to be unstable, eg veterinary drug residues Dispatch samples at -18°C in freezer packs to ensure stability of certain test materials
- 26. FAPAS Reports Confidential reports are available on a secure section of our website Each participant is given their own unique laboratory number, password and ID Comparison of z-scores with other participants’ z-scores Contain method information Participants can produce certificate
- 27. In Summary – the FAPAS, FEPAS, GeMMA and LEAP Schemes FAPAS offers the most comprehensive range of proficiency tests for chemical food analysis in the world – 219 tests in 2008/09 FEPAS and GeMMA offer proficiency tests for food-matrix based microbiology and food/feed GMO analysis LEAP Scheme includes chemistry, microbiology, parasitology and Legionella in potable and effluent water samples
- 28. Surplus Materials from Proficiency Testing Analytes and matrices must be stable Well characterised for analytes of interest Vital substitute when CRMs are not available Proficiency testing samples are chosen to closely resemble routine laboratory samples Low cost Listed on our website
- 29. Web site and operation QC Material
- 30. How to find Surplus Materials 1 Click “go”
- 31. How to find Surplus Materials 2
- 32. How to find Surplus Materials 3
- 33. Conclusions Proficiency testing is a vital component of quality assurance Participation improve performance, comparison with others and leads to accreditation FERA offers a wide range of analytes in various food and environmental matrices FAPAS ® can supply quality control materials ( www.fapas.com ) Facilitate our service through local agent Local language Currency
- 34. Contact details FAPAS the Food and Environmental Research Agency (FERA) Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK Tel: +44 1904 462100 FAX: +44 1904 462111 Website: www.fapas.com
- 35. Agent Contact details Team Medical & Scientific Sdn. Bhd. 41, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla T31/T, Kota Kemuning, 47600 Shah Alam Selangor Malaysia Tel: +603 5122 5108 FAX: +603 5122 1608 email: info@tms-lab.com Website: www.tms-lab.com Blog : tms-lab.blogspot.com Team Medical & Scientific Sdn. Bhd.
Editor's Notes
- #9: FAPAS was set up at the request of MAFF as they were concerned about the quality of data from UK laboratories. GeMMA is, we believe, the largest routine GM scheme. We have problems with sourcing GM test materials, in spite of setting up contacts within the manufacturers. Formal agreement with Monsanto to use their material.
- #13: Our website is available in 10 languages including Chinese
- #15: But you will also get big differences if people have made mistakes
- #19: Now we have decided which is the best estimate of the true result The graph shows all the results – some are more than the correct result – others are less than the correct result As we have previously discussed some deviation from the correct answer is acceptable – the question is how much. We decide on how much and set an acceptable range – all the laboratories within the lines are good laboratories and those outside are not so good