Roberta Wagner, senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association, issued a statement clarifying a pause in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) lab proficiency testing program.
“The suspension of FDA’s Grade A proficiency testing program does not reduce the types or frequency of milk quality tests for Grade A milk or finished dairy products as it makes its way from farms to stores across the country. All Grade A milk continues to be subject to stringent testing and oversight throughout the supply chain—on the farm, before transportation and multiple times at processing facilities—by both state and federal regulators, as outlined in the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.”
The paused program was a proficiency check for laboratories, not a test of the milk or dairy products themselves. It served as an internal evaluation tool to ensure FDA-affiliated labs could accurately analyze milk samples. Many of these labs also are evaluated by third-party programs to ensure proficiency. Under the program, labs are asked to test milk samples contaminated by FDA with microbiological, animal drug and chemical contaminants. The lab results need to match closely the results of FDA, plus or minus a small percentage. FDA has stated they are committed to finding alternative methods to maintain the lab performance monitoring and will share those alternatives when identified.
To read Wagner’s full statement, click here.