National Reference Laboratory

Fera acts as a UK National Reference Laboratory under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/625, supporting official controls across food and feed.

Setting and upholding standards

Fera acts as National Reference Laboratory under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products.

The Regulation establishes a harmonised framework of rules for monitoring and enforcing feed and food law to ensure feed and food is safe and wholesome.

We are a National Reference Laboratory for the following areas

Flavourings

Flavourings are added to foods to produce different or stronger tastes and / or aromas. They can be used to add a new taste or aroma, or they can be used to improve the existing taste or aroma.

Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Feed and Food

Fera uses analytical chemistry to conduct surveillance and testing and to support collaborative studies of environmental pathways of toxic chemicals, fundamental aspects of toxicology and health and we provide an emergency and contingency service.‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌

Heavy Metals and Nitrogenous Compounds in Food and Feed

Contaminants such as heavy metals are substances that have not been intentionally added to food. These substances may be present in food as a result of the various stages of its production, packaging, transport or holding.

Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins in Food and Feed

Fera provides specialist testing and research for mycotoxins and plant toxins across food and feed products. Our scientific expertise supports regulatory compliance, risk assessment and delivers supply chain confidence through trusted analytical methods and decades of experience.

Food Contact Materials

Our work involves targeted and non-targeted analysis of known and unknown migrants. Analysis can be carried out in complex matrices (foods, food simulants and food contact materials and articles) utilising a range of advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques.

Pesticides Residues

Fera is a UK National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Pesticide Residues in Cereals and Feeding Stuff, Fruits and Vegetables and Single Residue Methods.

Processing Contaminants in Foods

We are experts detecting Food Processing Contaminants (FPCs) which are substances that form in food or in food ingredients when they undergo chemical changes during processing. Processing methods include high-temperature cooking, fermentation, smoking, drying, refining of vegetable and animal fats.

Veterinary Medicine Residues

We are developing and validating advanced methods to detect and track drug residues in food, feed and the environment, the team supports national and international regulators in protecting public health. This work underpins vital surveillance programmes, helping ensure veterinary medicines are used safely while maintaining the integrity of the food chain.