One Scientific Maintain Gold Standard

Launched in 2019 the RSA audit is designed as a supplementary audit to the new requirements of BS EN ISO 17025:2017. One Scientific have already successfully transitioned to BS EN ISO 17025:2017. The annual audit of pathogen testing carried out on Tesco and M&S own label products and materials requires compliance with retailer specific requirements.  The audit is designed to verify standard of service, quality of work and reliability of results. The scheme is managed by Campden BRI on behalf of the retailers Marks & Spencer, and Tesco and is a replacement scheme combining the formerly-known ISA (Independent Supplementary Audit) for Marks and Spencer, and TLAS (Tesco Laboratory Approval Scheme) for Tesco. Based on the audit findings the highest performance level, GOLD, has been awarded to One Scientific.

 Tony Barrett-Jones, Managing Director of One Scientific said, “I’m extremely proud of our dedicated team.  As many labs are finding the new scheme challenging and are dropping down a level compared to accreditation in previous schemes it is great to know that One Scientific has risen to the challenge and succeeded at the highest standard”.

One Scientific now has RSA approval for the below pathogen tests:

• Enumeration of Bacillus cereus (presumptive) in food
• Enumeration of Clostridium perfringens (presumptive) in food
• Enumeration of Coagulase positive Staphylococci in food and swabs
• Enumeration of Listeria including Listeria monocytogenes in food
• Detection of Listeria including Listeria monocytogenes in food and swabs
• Detection of Salmonella spp in food

The scheme title is deliberately non-retailer-specific, which may mean that retailers other than M&S and Tesco will look to join the scheme in future. This is good news for the food testing industry, as compliance will be based on a single scheme rather than one for each retailer as previously.

For support and to discuss your testing requirements, get in touch with our experts.