Providing third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development.

Pesticides

A well-designed product sampling and testing program will be implemented to verify that your pest management program and products comply with requirements applicable to your operations, including:

• Country-of-destination maximum residue limits (MRLs)
• US EPA pesticide tolerances and action levels
• GFSI food safety requirements
• USDA Organic certification requirements
• SCS Pesticide Residue Free certification requirements

SCS can also conduct routine pesticide residue testing in water, on fresh produce, on equipment and machinery, in manufactured products and in ingredients for growers, processors and manufacturers, and retailers.

SCS testing includes multi-residue and single residue analyses, and can detect organochlorines, organophosphates, organonitrates, organsulfates, and methyl carbamates. Based upon the extraction methods and equipment utilized, SCS labs can analyze and recover far more than the 350 compounds listed in the US FDA's Pesticide Analytical Manual, Volume I, Table 302-A.

Examples of food products that can be tested:

• Baby food
• Cereals and grains
• Dried fruits and nuts
• Fats and oils
• Fish and seafood products
• Fresh and dried flowers
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Fruit juices and concentrates
• Herbs and spices
• Tea, coffee, cocoa

Microbiological

SCS offers testing of fresh produce, products, water, equipment and facilities for microbiological verification of a food safety policy or program. Our labs utilize ELISA methods for rapid screening of pathogens, and conduct confirmation using US FDA BAM (Bacterialogical Analytical Method) methods or quantitative polymeric chain reaction (PCR) methods if appropriate.

When testing for pathogens, we recommend that environmental testing and swabs be conducted monthly, and that product verification be done on a lot-by-lot basis along with a "hold and release" approach. SCS follows the GAP Metrics protocol for water testing and monitoring.

Facility/Environmental

SCS has trained samplers to meet all sampling needs, including: environmental swabbing, and pulling water and product samples. We can also set up line flow and sampling rotations with established scheduled testing. Our analytical testing capabilities include:

• Total Coliform
• Total Plate Count
• E. Coli
• Listeria
• Salmonella
• E. Coli-0157:H7
• Yeast and Mold Analysis

Water Sources

SCS offers certified water testing for Total Coliform, Enterohemmoragic E. coli (EHEC), and E. coli. Our samplers have been trained to follow the Leafy Greens Marketing Association (LGMA) guidelines and Sprout Compliance for sampling, if needed.

Final Product

Our trained samplers pick up or pull your product samples to perform any of the following tests:

• Total Plate Count
• Total Coliform
• Fecal Coliform
• E. Coli
• Yeast and Mold analysis
• Additional

Food Safety Hold and Release

We can perform analysis on specific pathogens such as:

• Salmonella
• Listeria
• E. coli 0157:H7
• Shigella
• Camphylobacter

Quality

SCS labs conduct a full array of quality testing services, including:

• Shelf-life and accelerated shelf-life testing, including microbial and sensory tests
• Nutritional panels
• Antioxidant
• Allergens
• Quality testing
• Flavor attribute testing

Service Offerings

Customized Testing for Growers, Manufacturers and Retailers

We develop routine testing programs for the detection of targeted pesticides or microbial agents tailored to your contaminant detection specifications. We can also satisfy your multi-residue pesticide screening needs for Certificates of Compliance. For microbiological testing, we can set up line flow and sampling rotations for facilities with established testing schedules. In addition, ask us about our Pesticide Residue Free certification program.

Retailer Quality Assurance Program

Our Retailer Quality Assurance (QA) testing program is a post-harvest sampling and analysis program in which we collect representative samples from the retail loading dock, cooler or distribution center (utilizing the chain of custody from the sample collection point to the laboratory). This program verifies that pesticide residues detected within the lot analyzed are within established government tolerances or maximum residue limits (MRLs).

This program targets food items that have a high probability of containing high levels of pesticide residues, based on FDA import alerts, the SCS residue testing database, and knowledge of new pesticides in the market.

MRL Country-of-Destination Compliance

Growers sending fresh produce to the European Union, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Korea, or any US Department of Agriculture listed country can have products tested for pesticide residues against the applicable MRLs (maximum residue limit). We also offer MRL Management and certification services to help you determine the correct pre-harvest spray intervals to meet the MRL requirements of most countries.

US EPA Compliance for Retailers and Distributors

SCS conducts random testing for pesticides, pathogenic bacteria and industrial contaminants for your supply chain to demonstrate that your suppliers are US EPA compliant. We multiply the benefit of each dollar you spend by sending you a full set of "blind" test data for all producers tested during the same period throughout our testing network, including the name of grower, shipper, date tested and results. This service provides you with a broader view of supply chain options.

US National Organic Program (NOP) Verification

USDA data indicate that a small percentage of organic produce contains pesticide residues. SCS uses a FDA PAM I or USDA QUECHERs multi-residue screening test to determine whether or not produce complies with USDA NOP pesticide residue standards.

FDA Import Detention Clearance

SCS can assist shippers or importers who have been stopped at the border because of a positive test for a banned pesticide.  We are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test fresh produce, herbs, processed foods, and seafood. We have more expertise with FDA sampling and testing protocols than any other testing body. With experience in most major US cities and ports, SCS provides fast results to get your packet to FDA and through clearance. Our testing specialties include pesticides, pathogens (shigella, salmonella, and e. coli) and filth. Contact us today to begin the process. Rush service is also available.

Lab Qualifications

SCS's laboratories participate in the quality control "proficiency program" as established by the Central Science Lab (FAPAS). We are also accredited to ISO 17025 and to the State of California's ELAP accreditation program.

SCS utilizes current FDA PAM, USDA QUECHERS, California Department of Food and Ag (CDFA), EPA and AOAC methodologies for our pesticide analysis. These methodologies, coupled with our Internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), adherence to the chain-of-custody protocols for all samples from sample collection to analysis, use of high quality, high purity analytical standards, and use of quality equipment such as gas chromatographs (GC), high performance liquid CCMSCS chromatographs (HPLC), LCMSMS and mass spectrometers (MS), ensure accurate and reproducible analysis. We utilize dual column/dual detection for all GCO LC analysis for instant contamination.

Our highly qualified, well-trained scientific personnel assure that you obtain accurate and timely analytical results.