The FDA has released a draft Final Rule on Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Food.  The Rule establishes criteria for recognition of entities that will accredit food-testing laboratories and establishes standards for eligibility.  It is contemplated that the FDA will require laboratories to be accredited and will mandate that consignees will submit food samples only to an accredited laboratory for assay.

The FDA will implement the program in a step-wise approach and when sufficient laboratories have been accredited, the Agency will designate in the Federal Register when results from only accredited laboratories will be accepted.