Arizona lab joins federal food supply testing network
Jul 1, 2015, 6:16 AM | Updated: 6:16 am
PHOENIX — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated an Arizona laboratory as part of a federal network of labs that tests food for potential dangers.
The Arizona State Public Health Laboratory in Phoenix, which is part of the Arizona Department of Health Services, is now the state’s only Level 1 lab in the USDA’s Food Emergency Response Network.
Victor Waddell, the bureau chief of the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory, said the lab will play an important role in screening and testing various food products and will also play a role increasing efficiency.
“We actually work with the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service to develop methods to rapidly detect pathogens, toxins, chemicals that may be present in the food supply,” he said.
Being able to quickly test and verify results is important in reducing the spread of food that might be tainted with toxins or pathogens.
“Methods we used to use took a lot longer to detect some of these pathogens and, as you can see, the goal is to rapidly detect these so we can pull food products off the shelves,” he said.
Waddell added the designation is also a special recognition and a point of pride for the laboratory.
“It gives us a lot of recognition for the state of Arizona and our credibility,” he said.