Scientists working in the Chemical Surveillance Branch (CSB) in the Veterinary Sciences Division (VSD)
of AFBI Stormont perform a broad range of screening and confirmatory tests for both veterinary drugs
and marine biotoxins, in support of local industry.
Testing is carried out to ensure that food produced in Northern Ireland is safe, wholesome and acceptable for national and international trade. Given that Northern Ireland exports a high proportion of food of animal origin produced here, this last point is of particular importance. Testing is accredited to the highest possible standards (Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and ISO17025). In recognition of the CSB’s experience in this area, it has been designated the UK National Reference Laboratory for most of the unauthorised substances used illegally in food animal production (e.g. hormones, ß-agonists, nitroimidazoles, nitrofurans, thyrostats, corticosteroids, carbadox and others). Facilities available include: biosensors and time-resolved fluorescence, for screening tests and a wide range of tandem mass spectrometers (coupled to both liquid and gas chromatography) and Time of flight mass spectrometry, for confirmatory tests.
For further information visit the Chemical Residues Monitoring web pages on this website:
