Scope of the Food Control Division of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safey (AGES)

The AGES Institutes for Food Control (ILMUs) in Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, Salzburg and Vienna are authorized for the official examination of and issuance of expert opinion on food, food supplements, food additives, cosmetic products and consumer goods with regard to their compliance with EU directives on food safety, with the Austrian national Food Safety and Consumer Protection Act (LMSVG) and national ordinances on food safety.

All AGES Institutes for Food Control are accredited as testing laboratories in compliance with standard EN ISO/IEC 17025 and as inspection bodies (type A) in compliance with standard EN ISO/IEC 17020 by the Austrian Federal Ministery for Economics and Labour.

Food and non food samples are drawn by staff members of the Food Control Authorities of the Austrian provincial governments either routinely or on suspicion. The officially drawn samples are delivered to the Institute for Food Control authorized for food examination in the region or province(s).

 A risk based sampling program with focus on different foodstuffs and non food items is issued annually by the Competent Authority, the Federal Ministery for Health (BMG), in cooperation with officials of the Food Control Authorities and AGES experts.

The test results of the samples are compiled in the various expert departments. Test results are evaluated by the Institute´s experts who issue a report of results. A report of results consists of the test report and the expert opinion.

Examples of the scope of examination in the AGES Institutes for Food Control:

• Sensory tests (sample description, tasting, etc.)
• Microbiological tests
• Microscopic examination (including animal pests)
• Analysis of composition of food and non food items subject to the LMSVG
• Basic chemical analyses (pH-Value, water content, determination of acidity, test for fat adulteration etc.)
• Physicochemical tests (complex instrumental analyses of constituents of food and non food items, food additives, contaminants and residues)
• Evaluation of Novel Foods, food supplements, and dietetic foods
• Tests for allergenes in food and non food items
• Elemental analyses (e.g. toxic heavy metals)
• Proof for food treatment with ionizing radiation
• Biochemical tests (proof for food constituents, additives, contaminants and residues by biochemical analytical techniques)
• Analysis of biologic toxins (mycotoxins, bacterial toxins, algal toxins)
• Molecularbiological Analyses
• Examination for radioactivity in food (natural radionuclide content and contamination by artificial radionuclides)
• Proof for genetically modified organisms (GMO)

Samples submitted by non institutional clients together with an order for examination and expert opinion are also accepted. These samples are subject to charges.

Test reports for non institutional clients are submitted directly to the clients. The report of results for official samples is sent to the competent Food Control Authority. If a sample is objected to by the expert, the report of results serves as a basis to take further legal action according to the national Food Safety Act §39 (e.g. to initiate a criminal procedure, impose a penalty in an administrative procedure or destroy the goods).

The experts of the AGES Institutes for Food Control contribute to numerous national and international committees, e.g. Austrian Food Codex Committee, permanent Hygiene Committee, various standards committees and EU working groups.

After founding of the AGES, the examination of samples for pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues, trace elements and toxic heavy metals, radioactivity in food, vitamin content as well as biochemical and other complex analyses was consolidated in AGES competence centers. Within the AGES, these competence centers serve as internal contractors also for the expert departments of the AGES Institutes for Food Control.

Last update: 18.01.2010 ck