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Environmental Milk Lab Certification
The Illinois Department of Public Health has been designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the certifying agency for approval of microbiological laboratories processing official samples of milk. The laboratory certification program ensures that approved laboratories use methods and techniques that are in substantial agreement with the current editions of the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
Guidelines to Follow for Certification of Milk Laboratories and Certified Industry Supervisors of Milk Drug Sites (Capable of Confirming Screening Results)
The applicant seeking certification shall contact the Illinois Department of Public Health’s laboratory evaluation officer to receive a packet containing the Grade A milk laboratory request and agreement form, a copy of the evaluation forms, and personnel questionnaire forms.
When the applicant feels the requirements can be met, a written request shall be sent to Laboratory Evaluation Officer.
Following receipt of the request, the laboratory evaluation officer will, upon a mutually agreeable date, perform an on-site survey including the evaluation of facilities, equipment, procedures and preliminary quality control records according to the requirements of the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
Upon successfully meeting the requirements of the evaluation, accreditation is given to the laboratory and conditional certification is given to the certified industry supervisors and analysts.
Split milk samples are provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health to all milk laboratories and certified industry supervisors annually. Analyses of split samples are required by all industry supervisors and analysts and approval shall be revoked for lack of participation or poor performance for two successive submissions.
Every two years, certified laboratories and certified industry supervisor sites shall be re-evaluated through on-site inspection by laboratory certification officers.
Guidelines to Follow for Approval of Milk Drug (Antibiotics) Screening Sites
The applicant seeking certification shall contact the Illinois Department of Public Health’s laboratory evaluation officer to receive a packet containing the Grade A milk laboratory request and agreement form, a copy of the evaluation forms, and personnel questionnaire forms.
When the applicant feels the requirements can be met, a written request shall be sent to Laboratory Evaluation Officer.
Following receipt of the request, the laboratory evaluation officer will provide training for the prospective industry supervisor. Upon completion of training, the industry supervisor will provide documented training of all prospective analysts. A copy of all training records will be submitted to the laboratory evaluation officer.
Upon receipt of the training records, the laboratory evaluation officer will, upon a mutually agreeable date, perform an on-site survey and evaluation of facilities, equipment, performance, procedures and preliminary quality control records.
Upon successfully meeting the requirements of the evaluation, approval is given to the milk drug testing site/industry supervisor and analysts.
Split milk samples are provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health to all milk drug testing sites annually. Analyses of split samples are required by all industry supervisors and analysts and approval shall be revoked for lack of participation or poor performance for two successive submissions.
Every two years, approved drug screening sites shall be re-evaluated through on-site inspection by laboratory evaluation officers.
It is the responsibility of the approved industry supervisor to train all new analysts and subsequently send training records to the laboratory evaluation officer. Upon review of the training record, the laboratory evaluation officer will either notify the supervisor that training is inadequate or issue a statement that training is acceptable and the analyst is approved to screen milk samples for drugs (antibiotics).
