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17th
December 2007
TBS Food Microbiology Laboratory
accredited
The Food Microbiology Laboratory of
the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS)
has been accredited against ISO 17025,
General requirements for the competence
of testing and calibration laboratories.
Accreditation is a formal confirmation
by a recognized independent third party
that a laboratory conforms to the
requirements of ISO 17025 and is
therefore competent to perform its
tasks.
The Food Microbiology Laboratory which
becomes the second to be accredited in
Tanzania, received the accreditation
certificate from South African National
Accreditation System (SANAS) on Monday,
December 17, 2007 at TBS Headquarters in
Dar - es - Salaam .
Presenting the certificate, SANAS Chief
Executive Mike Peet said the certificate
means that the laboratory’s test results
will now be recognized worldwide.
"This doesn’t mean that other
unaccredited TBS laboratories are
incompetent, but rather, that they have
not yet been evaluated for the purpose
of accreditation," said Mr. Peet.
Earlier in his introductory remarks,
Acting TBS Director Leandri Kinabo said
the accreditation is a great achievement
for TBS and Tanzania at large.
"For a long time TBS has been using its
own criteria for ascertaining the
suitability of equipment and testing
procedures without subjecting the
equipment and procedures to
international accreditation, a practice
which has had implication on Tanzania
exports.
"It is against this background that all
of us have all the reasons to be happy
today," he said.
He mentioned the fields in which the
Food Microbiology Laboratory has been
accredited as sea food and sea products;
and raw water, treated water and bottled
water; adding that the laboratory
intends to expand its competence in the
fields of Staphylococcus aureaus,
Salmonella Spp, Vibrio cholerae and
Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
On his part, the Chairman of the
National Task Force on Accreditation
Januarius Mrema said the Government of
Tanzania appreciates the tireless
efforts by the SANAS assessors to
inculcate the accreditation culture in
Tanzania.
"We will continue with our efforts to
ensure that many laboratories in
Tanzania are accredited so as to meet
the Millennium Development Goals and
also to participate effectively in
international trade," he said.
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