CAPACITY OF ACCREDITED TESTING LABORATORIES FOR FOOD IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA IN 2017 IN RELATION TO THE FIELDS OF ACCREDITATION

Abstract

Accreditation refers to the formal recognition that a conformityassessment body (laboratory) is competent to conduct conformity assessmentactivities according to internationally accepted rules. The accreditation ofconformity assessment bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is implemented bythe Institute for Accreditation of B&H (BATA). Accreditation provides confidence inthe laboratory test results and it is carried out according to the standard BAS EN ISO/ IEC 17025: 2006. Test laboratories for food in a wider sense include laboratoriesdealing with food, animal feed, drinking and swabs. The aim of the test is to determinethe capacities of accredited test laboratories for food in B&H in relation to the fieldof examination or the field of accreditation. This enables a clear insight into thereadiness of test food labs to respond to food control requirements in order to protectthe health of animals and humans. During 2017, 29 food laboratories were accreditedin Bosnia and Herzegovina, 8 in Republika Srpska, and 21 in the Federation ofB&H. Out of 13 accredited testing areas in B&H, laboratories in Republika Srpskaaccredited 10 fields (76.90%), while laboratories in the Federation of B&H accredited13 areas (100%). When it comes to different food testing fields, B&H has capacities inthe form of accredited laboratories to respond to these requirements, and especiallyimportant capacities are those for physicochemical food and water testing andmicrobiological food testing (over 55% of accredited laboratories). They are followedby microbiological testings of animal feed and water and toxicological testing ofresidues and contaminants in food (over 30% of accredited laboratories).