On Friday 3 July, Atvinnuvegur and the Ministry of Innovation and Matís agreed on Matís' operation of referral laboratories in seven areas.
On Friday 3 July composed The Ministry of Industry and Innovation and Matís on Matís' operation of reference laboratories (TVR; e. National Reference Laboratory (NRL)) in accordance with Regulation no. 106/2010 and Act no. 93/1995. According to the agreement, Matís is responsible for the operation of TVR in seven areas: diagnosis and testing for diseases transmitted between humans and animals, monitoring of viruses and bacterial contamination in shellfish, research on Listeria monocytogenes, research on coagulase positive cluster cocci, research on Escherichia coli, research on pesticide residues and research on heavy metals.
Reference laboratories in Iceland operate in collaboration with other reference laboratories in the European Economic Area. The statutory role and main responsibilities of the Reference Laboratory are diverse and include the coordination of the activities of nominated public research in each country. This includes advice and guidance on measurement methods, participation in the development and verification of measurement methods and the organization of comparative testsna, inform designated laboratories in the field of measurement of comparative tests, monitor the results of laboratories and offer assistance or take action according to Art. a specific process if necessary, disseminating knowledge and information from foreign reference laboratories to laboratories in Iceland, providing scientific and technical assistance to the competent authorities and maintaining accreditation.
It should be noted that Matís is not a supervisory body, supervision is in the hands of the Food Administration (MAST), or the parties to whom MAST entrusts the implementation of the supervision. Matís Reference Laboratories are one of the most advanced in the country and can meet the diverse needs of customers with a wide range of accredited measurement methods in many different areas. The laboratories are also well connected to foreign laboratories and mediate measurements that cannot be performed in Iceland. Further information is provided Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir