When reflecting on its two decades of accreditation with NATA, Analytical MicroLabs (AML) says a sustained commitment to quality, technical competence, and continuous improvement made it possible.
The laboratory, which provides microbiological testing for food safety, environmental quality, and compliance, attributes the two-decade achievement to ensuring that the accreditation principles are embedded in its routine operations, supported by robust quality systems, disciplined adherence to validated methods, and consistent staff competency development.
Regular internal audits, structured management reviews, and a proactive approach to addressing nonconformities have helped to ensure that AML’s processes remain aligned with NATA requirements and evolving industry expectations. External audits have also helped it to refine its system based on new guidelines.
Continued support from management to adhere to quality systems and continuous improvement has also been useful to maintain the accreditation status. When rolled up together, this consistent focus on quality and scientific rigor has led to long-term accreditation success.
AML initially sought accreditation in response to increasing industry and regulatory expectations for demonstrably reliable food safety testing. As the prevalence and public health impact of foodborne pathogens became more widely recognised, its clients required microbiological analyses to be performed by accredited facilities.
Accreditation offered a standardised framework to enhance the quality, consistency, and technical competence of its pathogen detection activities. It also provided independent verification of the capabilities of AML’s laboratory, which strengthened the defensibility of its results and supported its role in protecting public health.
The Broader Role of Accreditation
Two decades later, the core purpose of AML’s accreditation remains consistent with the initial need for it – to ensure the reliability, integrity, and technical competence of its microbiological testing in support of food safety and public health. However, the context in which AML operates has evolved, and accreditation now plays an even broader role within its organisation.
In addition to demonstrating technical capability, accreditation today supports AML’s commitment to regulatory compliance, strengthens customer confidence amid increasing supply-chain scrutiny, and reinforces its accountability as part of a rapidly advancing food safety landscape. While the foundational need for high-quality, defensible results has remained unchanged, accreditation has become an integral component of how it demonstrates transparency, adaptability, and continuous improvement in response to emerging pathogens, new technologies, and evolving industry expectations.
Two decades of accreditation has also provided AML with two decades of insights. If there is one thing it would have liked to have known back at the time of its initial accreditation, it would be to view accreditation not merely as a milestone or a business necessity, but as a long-term framework for continuous improvement and growth.
When going into a new accreditation, the value of embedding quality principles deeply into daily practice, investing in early and continues staff development, and establishing strong, proactive internal review processes cannot be overstated. These elements have not only proven essential for AML to obtain its accreditation the first time, but also to sustain it for two decades.
By taking these steps, AML was able to strengthen its technical capability, enhance its resilience as the regulatory and scientific landscape has evolved, and ensure that its laboratory continues to deliver reliable, defensible results that support food safety and public health.