Analytical Service and Food Safety – Technical Services | Analytical Service and Food Safety – Technical Services |
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Coordinator: Luigi Palmieri The Department is split into four areas:
Production technologies
In this respect, the pilot facilities in Parma (renovated) and Angri (being renovated) put traditional, innovative and modular equipment and plants at the disposal of associated and non-associated food companies to simulate processing lines and processes. Great emphasis is given over to innovative (high pressures, radio frequencies, membrane separation techniques, cold plasma) and traditional processes. A series of pilot plants for small-scale production is available at both sites. For this purpose, pilot areas have spaces where equipment manufacturers can install their plants for final testing or demo activities. Metrological lab In order to assist companies with a qualified service for the calibration of the measuring equipment, the Experimental Station for the Food Processing Industry has created a Metrology laboratory. To ensure a valuable service to enterprises, that laboratory has set up a Quality System, implemented according to UNI CEI EN ISO / IEC 17025:2005 and achieving SIT accreditation with certificate No 0199
Chemical Safety
This area offers services and research activities mainly dealing with chemical food risks, in particular relating to contamination from pesticide residues, leaching from materials in contact with food, use of improper additives and, in general, intentional or unintentional contaminants. This area constantly follows the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed to be informed about any problems that food companies may have in selling their products, and to be able to provide appropriate analytical responses.
Environment The support service to produce-processing companies extends also to sludge resulting from purification processes, special solid waste, processing waste and primary waters, and land for agronomic spreading.
Quality Assurance SSICA carries out controls in all food preserves sectors, both at its headquarters in Parma as well as its section in Angri. So as to offer an ever more qualified analysis service, SSICA holds an accreditation agreement with ACCREDIA (National Laboratory Accreditation System) which is renewed every four years, both for the headquarters in Parma (since 1996) and for the Angri section (since 2002). On the basis of this convention, SSICA is authorized to indicate a certain number of tests as “accredited”. Accreditation of a test method by ACCREDIA guarantees that it is carried out pursuant to the norms dictated by the UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard and other ACCREDIA regulatory documents. SSICA ensures, amongst other things, the use of qualified and competent staff, of efficient and calibrated equipment, suitable materials, maintenance of environmental conditions such as not to invalidate the test, the carrying out of a preliminary study of the performance of the method by validation and estimation of the uncertainty of the results, where applicable. ACCREDIA accreditation allows those export countries who recognize the accreditation to avoid the need to repeat the tests. This approach is further strengthened by mutual recognition agreements made between various laboratory accreditation bodies. SSICA is also authorised by ACCREDIA to use the ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) trademark relating to the international recognition in which accreditation bodies from over 30 countries worldwide participate. A summary of the procedures followed by SSICA laboratories in the execution of the tests and in relations with clients can be found in the following Information notes:
SSICA also holds the following certifications and authorisations:
This is the best guarantee of the trustworthiness of the analytical data supplied and the maintenance over time of the professional competence of SSICA technicians. The main inter-laboratory circuits in which SSICA participates in the various analytical areas are: FAPAS: Nutritional analyses, residues of pollutants, PCB, allergens ARPA Emilia Romagna: water analyses QM: Microbiological analyses S ENATE: Microbiological analyses UNICHIM: Water analyses |
The area, split between the Parma and Angri sites, deals mainly with applicative research projects and programmes. This activity is carried out in close contact with food producers, equipment manufacturers, research bodies and universities, as well as local development and innovation agencies. Most of these activities, which are tailor made to meet companies’ requirements, have a confidential character and frequently involve, together with the Pilot Plants and Innovative Technologies sector, other SSICA Departments and services.
In the sector of water pollution caused by agri-food companies, SSICA’s support to companies consists in the correct implementation of legal provisions, the preparation of documentation for waste water discharge authorisations, analysis of treatment plant projects, characterisation of industrial slurries, purification treatment tests, the design, control and management of purification plants, and the makeover and upgrade of existing plants.
