MPOB receives SAMM recognition from Department of Standards Malaysia

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has recently received the recognition of Malaysian Laboratory Accreditation Certificate Scheme (Skim Akreditasi Makmal Malaysia - SAMM) from the Department of Standards Malaysia.

MPOB Director General Dr. Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said, the accreditation certificate can enhance the results of studies and analyses in MPOB’s laboratories at the international level.

According to him, the recognition is for the efficiency of the Food Safety and Quality Laboratory’s management system in the Analytical and Quality Development Unit, Product Development and Advisory Services Division, MPOB.

All laboratories in the Analytical and Quality Development Unit conduct analytical development research including testing, analysis and verification activities as well as addressing issues related to food safety and palm oil quality.

The Food Safety Laboratory, established in 2010, serves to ensure the safety of Malaysian palm oil in terms of quality and in addition to provide analysis services and technical advice to the palm oil and food industry.

"Based on the goal of establishing a Food Safety Laboratory, we emphasize the aspect of quality management in every analysis conducted. With the commitment given, Food Safety Laboratory successfully obtained the first Malaysian Laboratory Accreditation Certificate from the Department of Standards Malaysia in 2010, which is ISO / IEC 17025: 2005 accreditation for paraquat or herbicide analysis," added Dr. Ahmad Parveez.

Beginning 2017, the Department of Standards Malaysia has made a review to improve the quality of the ISO / IEC 17025: 2005 scheme. Aspects of risk analysis have been introduced and implemented in the new certification of ISO / IEC 17025: 2017. In addition, there are additional procedures and new clauses introduced by the Malaysian Laboratory Accreditation Certificate.

To ensure that the Food Safety Laboratory is always on the right track in offering analysis services to the palm oil industry, efforts for the transition process from ISO / IEC 17025: 2005 to ISO / IEC 17025: 2017 have begun since 2018.

In 2020, the MPOB’s Food Safety Laboratory has successfully renewed the ISO / IEC 17025: 2017 accreditation as a result of the ISO / IEC 17025: 2005 transition for paraquat waste analysis. "The laboratory has demonstrated its technical competence to operate in accordance with MS ISO / IEC 17025: 2017 (ISO / IEC 17025: 2017)," said Dr Ahmad Parveez.

The MPOB’s Food Safety Laboratory also successfully added in the scope of ISO / IEC 17025: 2017 accreditation to three analyses namely chloride content; content of esters 2- and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (2- and 3-MCPDE) and glyceride esters (GE); and content of trace elements (phosphorus, iron and copper).

The addition of scope for these three analyses is very important to MPOB and the palm oil industry as issues related to 3-MCPDE and GE contaminant as well as the quality of palm oil are widely discussed, especially the implementation of the maximum level of GE and 3-MCPDE which was enforced by the European Union starting in March 2018 and January 2021, respectively.