Massachusetts Lab Food Safety Testing Program

Overall Project Summary/Abstract The Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory (MA SPHL) is requesting funding under RFA- FD-25-007, Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (U19) to enhance human and animal food surveillance through risk-based and prevention-focused testing. MA SPHL intends to partner with MA Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) for sample collection. MA SPHL currently has six testing methods accredited by A2LA to the ISO 17025 standard: screening and confirmation methods for Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. Funds will be used to support current ISO 17025 accredited method capability and bring additional methods on ISO scope to increase capability. MA SPHL is seeking approval for the following Microbiology Analytical Tracks: • A1: Human Food Product Testing. MDAR has agreed to collect a minimum of 100 environmental swabs from human food production sites, which will be tested for multiple foodborne pathogens, resulting in 250 analyses. • A3: Animal Food Product testing. MDAR has agreed to collect 50 animal food products per year, both domestic and production feed, which will be tested for multiple pathogens and result in 100 analyses. • A4: Whole Genome Sequencing (Maintenance). All recovered isolates will be sequenced, analyzed and uploaded to the appropriate national databases or repositories in accordance with PulseNet/GenomeTrakr procedures and will include required metadata that is formatted in a manner that supports querying NCBI. • A7: Method Development/Validation. MA SPHL intends to participate in future method development and capacity/capability development projects pre-determined by FDA that support and expand food safety and food defense testing in years 2 through 5. • A8: Microbiology Capability/Capacity Development. MA SPHL intends to participate in future capability/capacity development projects to assist laboratories in implementing new capabilities (e.g., methods, equipment) to support microbiological testing related to human and animal foods in years 2 through 5.