In
recognition of its high international status, VSD of AFBI Stormont's Chemical
Surveillance
Branch has been
designated as the UK National Reference Laboratory for hormones, ß-agonists, nitroimidazoles,
nitrofurans,
glucocorticoids, thyrostats and nicarbazin.
National Reference Laboratory
status brings with it access
to a wider network of European laboratories, analytical methods and intelligence which can be fed back
into the entire UK laboratory network. It also facilitates participation of the Chemical Surveillance
Branch in a wide range of externally-funded research aimed at the development of improved testing procedures
for veterinary drug residues and other food contaminants.
