Planning

Diagnostics

Controls under the Italian national monitoring and screening plans for 2014 shall be ensured and analytical, technical and scientific support shall be granted in case of contamination of the food chain, if necessary.

Research and Testing

Research and test activities shall be launched or continue throughout the year within the following projects funded by the Ministry of Health:

• Concentration and distribution of dioxins and PCB in biological fluids and tissues of ovines bred close to a waste-to-energy plant;
• Contamination levels of polybromodibenzodioxins (PBDD) and polybromodibenzofurans (PBDF) in food of animal origin. Assessment of human exposure through diet.

Consulting, teaching, National and International cooperation

During the year, the National Reference Laboratory shall:

• Continue cooperating with the European Union Reference Laboratory located in Freiburg (Germany), on technical and scientific issues related to dioxins and PCB detection in food;
• Participate into the Core Working Group “Measurement Uncertainty“ within the European Commission/ EU-RL/ NRL network for dioxins and PCB;
• Organize a seminar on “Dioxins and PCB in food, feed and environment”, for dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyl representatives of the Ministry of Health, Higher Institutes of Health, Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (veterinary epidemiology centres), Higher Institute for Environmental Research and Regional Bodies for Environment Protection;
• Contribute to draft/update chapters on dioxins (PCDD/F), “dioxin-like” PCBs and “non dioxin-like” PCBs of the Residues National Plan and of the Animal Feed National Plan for year 2015;
• Upon request, engage into training, education and internships in the field of diagnostics and regulations, to the benefit of the personnel employed in the official National Laboratories;
• Continue assessing the results of the monitoring and screening plans in the areas where episodes of food contamination were detected.