Based on Article 93 paragraph 1 of the Law on Food Safety (“Official Gazette of Montenegro”, No. 57/15) Center for Ecotoxicological Testing – Podgorica D.O.O. Podgorica is an authorized official laboratory for testing the safety and quality of food and animal feed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.
For the needs of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, as well as at the request of subjects in the food business and third parties, CETI conducts safety and quality testing of food of plant and animal origin, natural mineral and spring water, animal feed, materials coming into contact with food, as well as analysis of plant nutrition and plant protection products. In this field, the laboratory applies hundreds of methods that are one of the main activities of the institution.
In addition to the samples taken as part of official controls during the import of food and animal feed by competent inspectors of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, CETI conducts tests within the Program of Safety and Quality Measures of Food and Animal Feed, namely:
- Monitoring program for residues in food of animal origin and animal feed
Objective: In order to protect public health, systematic monitoring and detection of the presence of residues of illegal substances and veterinary drugs is carried out in order to monitor compliance with withdrawal periods and proper use, pesticides and environmental contaminants in living animals, their excreta, body fluids, tissues and products of animal origin, food for animals and water for feeding animals, which can be harmful to human and animal health. Planned and systematic sampling is used to check the use of permitted drugs in the treatment of animals that and/or whose products are used as food, as well as control of compliance with the withdrawal period for the veterinary drug used by the animal keeper, as well as control of the presence of contaminants in products of animal origin in food and water for feeding animals.
- Program for monitoring residues of plant protection products (pesticides)
Objective: Monitoring the residues of plant protection agents (pesticides) is the most effective way of preventive and timely detection of the presence of plant protection agents (pesticides) in quantities exceeding the maximum prescribed in food of plant and animal origin that is placed on the market or of illegal/prohibited plant protection agents and their residues. Monitoring the use of plant protection products supports the implementation of the National Plan for the sustainable use of plant protection products for the period from 2021 to 2026, as part of overall activities to reduce risks and negative effects on human health, plants and the environment. In this way, control can be improved and the production and trade of safe food of plant and animal origin can be ensured, while respecting good agricultural practices.
- Nitrate monitoring program in leafy vegetables
Objective: Continuous, planned and systematic monitoring of means for feeding plants – nitrates in leafy vegetables is the most effective way of preventive and timely detection of the presence of nitrates in quantities above the maximum prescribed. In this way, effective control is established in accordance with risk analysis and verifies the compliance of leafy vegetables placed on the market with prescribed requirements, especially certain types of leafy vegetables produced in intensive vegetable production.
- Shellfish safety monitoring program
Objective: In order to determine the safety of shellfish before placing them on the market, to determine the purity of the sea for the further classification of production areas for shellfish farming into production areas in accordance with prescribed requirements, according to the results of fecal pollution, a planned and systematic collection of live shellfish from registered shellfish farms for laboratory tests is carried out the presence of chemical contaminants and biotoxins.
- Food Contaminant Monitoring Program
Objective: In order to prevent the placing on the market of food that contains contaminants above the prescribed, maximum permitted quantities, systematic monitoring and sampling of certain types of food is carried out in accordance with the risk analysis. In this way, effective control is established in accordance with the analysis and checks the compliance of certain types of food placed on the market with the prescribed maximum permitted amounts of contaminants in food.
- Monitoring program for the presence/level of acrylamide in certain food categories
Objective: In order to prevent the placing on the market of food that contains acrylamide above the prescribed levels, it is necessary that entities in the food business that produce and/or place on the market food that is fried during the technological process establish and apply measures to reduce the presence of acrylamide in food. Acrylamide is an organic compound of low molecular weight and high solubility in water, which is formed by the reaction of asparagine and sugar, which are naturally present in certain food during its preparation at temperatures above 120°C. This compound mainly occurs in baked or fried foods rich in carbohydrates that contain its precursors in their raw state (eg: cereals, potatoes, coffee beans).
- Monitoring program for substances whose use is limited – trans fatty acids, except for those that occur naturally in fats of animal origin
Objective: In order to prevent the placing on the market of food containing substances whose use is limited – trans fatty acids, except for those that occur naturally in fats of animal origin, systematic monitoring and sampling of certain types of food is carried out, in accordance with the risk analysis. In this way, an effective system is established and the conformity of certain types of food placed on the market with the prescribed requirements is verified. Other substances, which are not vitamins or minerals, or ingredients that contain another substance that is not a vitamin or mineral can be added to finished food or food that is in the process of production. It is stipulated that the subject in the food business may not put on the market food that contains prohibited substances, substances whose use is limited and substances for which the possibility of a harmful effect on health has been determined.
- Monitoring program of undesirable substances in animal feed
Objective: In order to prevent the placing on the market of animal feed that contains undesirable substances above the prescribed, maximum permitted amounts, as a preventive measure, systematic monitoring and sampling of certain types of animal feed (nutrients) is carried out in accordance with the risk analysis, including the control of feed additives for animals used in ready-made fodder mixtures and premixes.
- Program for monitoring the quality/composition of food and the way of providing information to consumers about food
Objective: In order to protect consumers, prevent fraud or deception, change the composition of food and mislead consumers, systematic monitoring and sampling of packaged food is carried out in order to control compliance with prescribed safety requirements related to the way of providing information to consumers about food, the content of information and data on food according to types and categories of food and food labeling in accordance with the law on consumer protection and the law on food safety.
- Monitoring program of objects and materials that come into contact with food
Objective: In order to monitor objects and materials that come into contact with food in the production, preparation and processing of food, systematic monitoring and sampling of the same is carried out in order to control compliance with prescribed safety requirements.
