AFRICA

In-country experience: Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Recent project in Africa

Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) in Burundi

We provided technical expertise to ITC (Internal Trade Center) to assess 7 laboratories and to prepare technical specifications for equipment (Value > 1 M EUR) and refurbishment of GC/HPLC rooms and microbiology laboratories in Burundi.

The Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) is a regional development initiative that aims to contribute to the economic growth of the East African Community (EAC). More specifically, it aims to support increased exports of agribusiness and horticultural products, promote regional integration as well as access to European markets. MARKUP assists small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda by targeting specific agricultural commodities such as avocado, cocoa, coffee, spices, tea and horticulture.

The general objective in Burundi is to strengthen the trade of coffee, tea and to some extend horticulture.

MIDDLE EAST & ASIA

In-country experience: China, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.

Recent project in Asia

Design, inspection and commissioning of a Mobile Food Safety Laboratory in Bangladesh

Link to YouTube video : Mobile Food Safety Laboratory

The modern laboratory will tour markets in the capital city to raise awareness of food safety. It is equipped to test for a range of harmful food contaminants and pathogens including toxic chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, E.coli, salmonella, Shigella, and formaldehyde.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) will operate the laboratory, gathering data and insights about food contamination that will inform food safety campaigns.

The laboratory was provided though a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Europe

In-country experience: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.

Recent project in Europe

CEFTA laboratories assessment

ALD provided technical expertise to ITC (International Trade Center) to assess the assessment of the capacity and needs of the 9 testing laboratories in the six CEFTA Members (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia) to test vegetables according to EU requirements for pesticides residues and other contaminants. The assessment included the following.

Pesticides residues:

Analytical capacities for analysis of pesticide residues by LC MS/MS, GC/MS and HPLC.
Accreditation.
Method validation as per SANTE/11813/2017 and SANTE 2017/10632 guidelines.
Links and collaboration with the EU Reference Laboratories for Residues of Pesticides (EURL- FV).
Compounds and metabolites covered.
Adequation between relevant pesticide issues and compound researched.
Challenges and future capacity development.

Mycotoxins:

Analytical capacities to test for mycotoxins, in particular patulin in apples and ochratoxins in grapes, but also aflatoxins Bs and Gs, T2 & HT2, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol (DON) or fumonisins.
Method validation and accreditation.
Challenges and future capacity development.

Other contaminants:

Contaminants such as heavy metals, colorants, nitrates, allergens, microbiological agent (E. coli, STEC, Clostridium botulinum, yeast and molds, listeria …) and notable viruses in prepared fruits and vegetables products (Norovirus and Hepatitis A).

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