Cherkizovo Lab has become the first private laboratory to receive accreditation from Association of Analytical Centers Analitica to test environmental samples for COVID-19. This marks another step in assuring safety of Cherkizovo Group products for its Russian and foreign partners.
In March, Association of Analytical Centres (AAC) Analitica granted approval to expand the scope of accreditation of Cherkizovo Lab. The lab’s technical competence was endorsed in four new areas, in addition to the previously certified 94 methods of testing raw materials, feed, food, packaging and environment entities. Cherkizovo Lab was the first privately owned laboratory in Russia to obtain accreditation for detecting COVID-19 RNA in environmental samples.
“This is an important milestone and a testament to Cherkizovo Lab’s commitment to best practice in quality control and product safety, making it stand out among the best equipped laboratories for its high level of competence. Both a leader in the Russian meat market and an exporter, Cherkizovo Group will be able to significantly benefit from using the resources of its own lab to detect COVID-19, which will contribute to strengthening further our relationships with partners,” said Sergey Shapovalov, Cherkizovo Lab Director.
Cherkizovo Group is one of the largest exporters of meat in Russia. Its key foreign markets include the Southeast Asia, the CIS and the Middle East. In 2020, the company exported approximately 85,000 metric tons of its produce (up 70% year over year). Chicken products have become the key driver behind the export growth, with aggregate foreign sales reaching about 61,000 metric tons.
In 2009, AAC Analitica became a signatory to the multilateral mutual arrangement of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The ILAC arrangement was signed by over 100 accreditation authorities, including those from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. The signatories from Russia include AAC Analitica and the Federal Service for Accreditation (RusAccreditation).
Cherkizovo Lab is European-class laboratory center focusing on the research and development of food products, one of a kind in the Russian agricultural sector. Launched back in 2016, the project received EUR10 million worth of investment. The center carries out some 1,000 tests annually, including most complicated lab analysis in all areas of agriculture. The center also conducts research into genomics and molecular biology, veterinary and sanitary examination and analytical chemistry.
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