National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)

A summary of the FSS designated food and feed National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for Scotland.

National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)

National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) are a UK wide network of specialist laboratories responsible for maintaining standards for the routine testing of feed, food and animal health. They also provide advice and support to official laboratories on methods for official control testing.

FSS designates NRLs for food and feed for Scotland, whilst Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has responsibility for designating NRLs for animal health and live animals. In other UK nations the relevant authorities designate the NRLs in a similar fashion.

In Great Britain, NRLs are designated under the Official Control Regulation (EU) 2017/625 for Official Feed and Food Controls, as amended and retained in UK legislation under Statutory Instrument 2020/1481.

FSS designated food and feed NRLs for Scotland

Additives for use in animal nutrition

Laboratory of the Government Chemist Ltd
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 0LY
Tel: 020 8943 7000

Antimicrobial resistance

Food, Water & Environment (FWE) Microbiology Network
UK Health & Security Agency (UKHSA)
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325

Campylobacter

FW&E Microbiology Network
UKHSA
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325

Coagulase positive Staphylococci, including Staphylococcus aureus

FW&E Microbiology Network
UKHSA
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325

Escherichia coli, including Verotoxigenic E. Coli (VTEC)

FW&E Microbiology Network
UKHSA
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325

Foodborne viruses

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)
The Nothe Barrack Road
Weymouth
DT4 8UB
Tel: 01305 206600

Genetically modified organisms

Laboratory of the Government Chemist Ltd
Queens Road
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 0LY
Tel: 020 8943 7000

Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) (Dioxins)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

Listeria monocytogenes

FW&E Microbiology Network
UKHSA
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325

Material intended to come into contact with foodstuffs

FERA (Materials)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

Metals and nitrogenous compounds

FERA (Heavy metals)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

Monitoring of marine biotoxins

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)
Shellfish Toxin Unit - VSD Stormont
Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
Tel: 028 9052 5636

Monitoring the bacteriological contamination of bivalve molluscs

CEFAS
The Nothe Barrack Road
Weymouth
DT4 8UB
Tel: 01305 206600

Mycotoxins and plant toxins

FERA (Mycotoxins)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

Parasites (Anisakis)

CEFAS (Anisakis)
The Nothe Barrack Road
Weymouth
DT4 8UB
Tel: 01305 206600

Parasites (Trichinella and Echinococcus)

Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA)
National Agri-Food Innovation Campus
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

Processing contaminants

FERA (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000

The analysis and testing of Zoonoses (Salmonella)

FW&E Microbiology Network
UKHSA
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8327 7160/7325