Ensuring products do not harm the consumers who purchase them is a fundamental requirement for business survival and protecting brand value. We rely on manufacturers, suppliers and legislation to keep us safe, and a key part of this is the laboratory analysis performed on products to ensure no harmful chemicals, physical properties or microorganisms are present.

Our range of consumer safety schemes offer a valuable tool for the ongoing assessment of testing procedures, effectiveness of methods employed, laboratory staff responsible for the analysis and subsequent interpretation of results. Proficiency testing provides an independent validation of laboratory quality.

Categories Available:

Cannabis and related products PT Scheme (CAN)

CANNABIS PT offers chemistry samples for the testing of cannabinoids, terpenes, mycotoxins, elements and a wide range of pesticide, and microbiology samples for the detection of Salmonella or the enumeration of various microbiological indicators.

Cosmetics & Toiletries (COSMETICS)

COSMETICS proficiency testing scheme is intended for chemists and microbiologists performing product and ingredient testing in the beauty and personal care product industries.

Food Contact Materials PT Scheme (CONTACT)

CONTACT, the Proficiency Testing Scheme for Packaging and Food Contact Materials enables laboratories performing the analysis of packaging and food contact materials to monitor their performance and compare it with that of their peers. This PT also aims to provide information to participants on technical issues and methodologies relating to this type of testing.

Hygiene Surface Monitoring (HYGIENE)

Participation in HYGIENE scheme can help to demonstrate that environmental monitoring is effective and under control. Regular monitoring allows information to be collected to review and assess hygiene quality and ensure legislative standards are being met. It also helps to determine the effectiveness of control systems designed to prevent microbial contamination.

Microbiological Confirmation and Identification (CONFIDENT)

Confirmation and Identification scheme (CONF-IDENT) is specifically designed to meet the needs of laboratories performing confirmation and/or identification of strains isolated from a sample using various techniques, from traditional biochemical/serological tests to more advanced genomic or molecular techniques (such as MALDI-TOF). Microorganism confirmation and identification is critical in a number of industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and feed.

Toy safety (TOYTEST)

TOYTEST proficiency testing scheme is designed to work with the strict safety regulations that are in place to ensure that toys are appropriate for the target age group of children, and do not pose a hazard in use.

Our OIL PT scheme is designed specifically to assist chemists and engineers working in refinery, fuel, used oil and lubricant laboratories to meet regulations, while our Instant Feedback PT program is intended to provide laboratories with a method to monitor their performance and prove analytical competency.

Categories Available:

Oils & Fuels Analysis (OIL)

Designed specifically to assist chemists and engineers working in the refinery, fuel, used oil and lubricant laboratories. Regulations related to cleanliness standards in engines, contamination particles and water in diesel fuel, and many more, mean it is essential that laboratories performing these measurements are capable of producing accurate data.