Purchasing first in-house lab equipment

Hi all, I am purchasing our first in-house lab equipment! (Yeah!) I have no experience in setting up a lab. 1. I am trying to find equipment that is ISO:17025 calibrated. Or find a place for this to be sent out for calibration. Will this meet the requirement of SQF Ed 9.  From past reading on the site, we do not need to be ISO certified for the lab, just the equipment? 2. Do I need to buy a " standard procedure" ?? AOAC method? 3. Regarding SQF Edition 9- I need to have some form of proficiency test for whom ever is completing this analysis. That can included physically reviewing the person completing the task correctly? Thank you! 

A lot of this depends on the type of equipment you are purchasing the tests you intend to perform.  Can you list the tests you intend to perform?

There are several tun-key lab set ups out there that are intended for the food industry, you will need to search for them but they basically look at needs and then custom design a solution.

AOAC or equal proficiency testing is required once a year.

You may also want ot first hire your lab person and have that person design the lab environment.

Hi all, I am purchasing our first in-house lab equipment! (Yeah!) I have no experience in setting up a lab. 1. I am trying to find equipment that is ISO:17025 calibrated. Or find a place for this to be sent out for calibration. Will this meet the requirement of SQF Ed 9.  From past reading on the site, we do not need to be ISO certified for the lab, just the equipment? 2. Do I need to buy a " standard procedure" ?? AOAC method? 3. Regarding SQF Edition 9- I need to have some form of proficiency test for whom ever is completing this analysis. That can included physically reviewing the person completing the task correctly? Thank you! 

You may have misinterpreted the meaning of "proficiency test"  as seems to frequently occur.

Post 2 may be a good start to avoid financial losses.

Post 3 conclusion is a logical procedure in the absence of knowledge/experience.

So we are only purchasing a water activity meter. Nothing to exciting, but exciting on our end. 

Are you using the aW results for final product release? or in house investigative only?

Since you're not really setting up and Lab this clause shouldn't apply to you

When i was in pickles, we had a aW and Brix meter, both of these tests are not anylyisis, but rather produce a reading, similar to testing pH on the floor----we do that now, and I would never consider that a "lab"

Product release. We will use this on CoA's. Sorry for the misleading information!

We will still this to have an  NIST/ISO 17025 calibrated equipment and follow AOAC methods for wa correct?  

Note sure where you're pulling the reference to the NIST?  Just follow the points below-directly from the code

17025 is not a calibration, but a standard how a lab is operated  -  like SQF is to food safety / quality. 

.   I have attached a copy I found on line.   

the manufacture should have documentation stating their method is AOAC approved or equivalent to.  (water activity is aoac 978.18)

the AW meter SHOULD come with a a calibration certificate.   You will also need to buy calibrations standards that have are recognized by someone (nist, etc).  the manufacture of the meter should have them or a source for you.   determine the frequncy and log the calibrations.  

I would look through the the 17025 document and  develop a procedure(s) on how you will meet a majority if not all of the items it outlines. 

  Ex - training, calibration, records, maintenance, review, etc. 

in this case - for proficiency testing I would give analysts a known sample and ensure they are getting the proper result.   I dont believe watching them proves that they are capable of achieving an intended result.  

i hope this helps

Hey Ral, I wanted to chime in on this one earlier but never got the chance. Make sure you cover yourself on the regulation front! Labs are audited by a regulatory agent on behalf of the feds (here in Texas it's the Texas Dept of Public Safety).

We had a Field Compliance Auditor in the Compliance and Enforcement division show up about 4 months into my employment here (I still have his card) who wanted to audit our 'lab.' When I explained that we send our product out to a sister facility for analysis but we do check pH and density here for one grade (for production purposes) he gave me the ole squint eye and still wanted to walk around to see where we check it.

You might have already covered that base, but I hadn't seen anyone mention it yet so there it is.

17025 is not a calibration, but a standard how a lab is operated  -  like SQF is to food safety / quality. 

.   I have attached a copy I found on line.   

 

the manufacture should have documentation stating their method is AOAC approved or equivalent to.  (water activity is aoac 978.18)

 

the AW meter SHOULD come with a a calibration certificate.   You will also need to buy calibrations standards that have are recognized by someone (nist, etc).  the manufacture of the meter should have them or a source for you.   determine the frequncy and log the calibrations.  

 

I would look through the the 17025 document and  develop a procedure(s) on how you will meet a majority if not all of the items it outlines. 

  Ex - training, calibration, records, maintenance, review, etc. 

 

in this case - for proficiency testing I would give analysts a known sample and ensure they are getting the proper result.   I dont believe watching them proves that they are capable of achieving an intended result.  

 

i hope this helps

I suggest to read the SQF Guidance Document on Proficiency Testing