Approved laboratories in the QS scheme

The mark QS-approved laboratory can be used in the area of a document that contains the name, logo or address of the laboratory.

However, make sure that the mark is not displayed too prominently in test reports (e.g. regarding the position and size) that have no connection with the QS scheme. The mark QS-approved laboratory should not be larger than your own company logo. If necessary, you can use the accreditation logo's size and position as a guide in this respect. It must be avoided that if the mark is too large, it will be overlooked that the header only shows the range of services of a laboratory in general, independent of the actual laboratory services.

No, laboratories are not allowed to use the QS certification mark. The QS certification mark should only be used to label products from the QS scheme.

An own mark QS-approved laboratory has been developed for laboratories, which laboratories can use to draw attention to their activities in the QS scheme and advertise their activities.

Yes, there are various deadlines related to the submission of analysis results, which are defined in the specific monitoring guidelines.

If the laboratory finds that a maximum level, action limit or QS guidance value is exceeded in a sample, the result must first be verified within the laboratory. If the result could be verified, the client must be informed immediately.

If the client desires, he can order a verification of the laboratory result by another laboratory. The sample in its original condition (partial sample of the sample already analysed) must be used for the follow up examination in the second laboratory. Information on the procedure for commissioning a second laboratory is explained in the feed monitoring guideline (Chapter 5.2).

If the client does not wish a follow up examination and accepts the result of the first laboratory, the laboratory must enter the analysis result into the QS database immediately, i.e. at the latest by the next working day after the end of the analysis.

You can use the mark QS-approved laboratory on test reports, even if they do not contain any QS-related parameters.

No, QS recognition is site-related. Each location has its own contractual relationship with QS.

It is possible that the client has submitted a reset request himself to make a significant change/addition to the sample related data. You must now check and complete the data record again. If you are not sure which data has been changed and whether this is relevant to your entry of the maximum levels, please contact your client.

With every reset request a reason must be given why the data record should be released for processing again. The data record can only be changed by the laboratory itself and not by QS. The laboratory confirms the change made by completing the record again.

Yes, in order to maintain QS recognition, QS-recognised laboratories must provide annual proof in residue monitoring and feed monitoring demonstrating that they have participated in laboratory proficiency tests.

Residue monitoring laboratories are required to participate in round robin tests in the field of plant protection products and for the recognised individual methods in the matrix fruit, vegetables and potatoes. Laboratories from feed monitoring must participate in round robin tests in feed-relevant matrices for the recognised parameters.

The laboratories must provide the QS office with the following evidence without being requested to do so:

• an annual list of the planned round robin tests for the current calendar year (by 15 March of the current year)
• an annual list (by 15 March of the following year at the latest) of the round robin tests carried out in the previous calendar year with results and any measures initiated

Data records with the status Laboratory commissioned cannot be deleted by the laboratory itself. Please contact QS, we will do this for you. This prevents data waste from accumulating at your end and allows you to keep track of the samples to be processed.

The entry form for laboratories indicates the methods/parameters that a laboratory can subcontract to another laboratory with QS recognition. Subcontracts can only be issued to laboratories that themselves have a QS-recognition for the inspection of the corresponding inspection method/parameter. An inspection method/parameter can only be assigned to one laboratory in a subcontract. Subcontracting must be approved by QS.

You don't have to do anything. Data records transferred too late from the scheme participant to the laboratory (= transfer after end of analysis) are automatically deleted from the database after 3 weeks. The scheme participant receives an automatic e-mail notification about this process and can contact the QS office directly if necessary.

If a data record has to be reset due to incorrect entries in the QS database, you must close it again in the database within three working days after resetting or retransferring it to the laboratory. Otherwise, the data record will be locked again and will be subject to a charge.

Submit the subcontracting agreement with your new partner laboratory. After checking the information, you will receive a written approval of the change of the subcontracting laboratory by QS. You can then terminate the old agreement.

Submit the relevant application documents as described in the guidelines. Once the documents have been reviewed, you will receive written approval to carry out the test in your laboratory from now on. You can then terminate the subcontracting agreement.

Until you receive the written approval, all tests within the QS system (routine samples, laboratory performance assessment samples) must continue to be sent to the subcontracted laboratory.

Check the cause:

1. The active substance was not selected in your laboratory profile for the corresponding method. Update your laboratory profile. The active substance will then be included in all data records that are transferred to your laboratory after the update. Please contact QS so that the active substance also appears in the data records that were transferred to your laboratory before the update, so that we can reset these data records. After the new transfer to the laboratory, the active substance will then also be shown.
2. The active substance is not inspected as a standard and is therefore not stored in your laboratory profile. Enter the active substance using the + sign in the free text field in the analysis results.
3. The active substance is not contained in the active substance list offered in the database: Enter the active substance using the + sign in the free text field in the analysis results. Please contact us so that we can determine why the active substance is not included in the active substance list.

As a general rule, we kindly ask you to check at regular intervals whether your laboratory profile is up-to-date.

Check whether the residue definition of the active ingredient is a sum definition. In the QS database, the entry of maximum residue levels and the selection of the regulation for active substances with a sum definition is only possible for the sum value. These entries cannot be made for the individual active substances of the sum definition and result in an error message.

The following test kits may be used to test samples for Salmonella antibodies:

• pigtype Salmonella Ab (Indical Bioscience GmbH)
• Herd Check (IDEXX)
• PrioCheck Salmonella 2.0 ELISA (Prionics AG, Schlieren).

Currently (as of 01.01.2020) the following fees (plus VAT) apply:

• One-time processing fee (for feed/residue monitoring):
  A one-time processing fee of 1,500 euros is payable upon receipt of the application documents and prior to the start of the application inspection. This fee will be credited against the annual recognition fee once recognition is granted in the first year.
• Annual recognition fee: € 500
• At least once a year participation fee for laboratory performance assessment/round robin test:

Varies based on the monitoring programme.

The analysis in QS feed monitoring can only be carried out by QS-approved laboratories. The recognition of laboratories by QS is necessary to ensure compliance with the QS requirements and thus to ensure the comparability of analytical results between laboratories at a uniformly high level.

The approved laboratories are published here and can be selected in the sample related data in the QS database.

Feed monitoring monitors compliance with maximum levels, action thresholds and guidance values for mycotoxins, environmental toxins, plant protection products, salmonella, heavy metals, animal components and polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The control plans list the minimum parameters on which the feedstuffs must be examined at least per year, in terms of industry or animal species. The frequency of analysis depends on the annual quantity (tonnage) for QS feed per location.

You can find out which control plans apply to you in the Guideline Feed Monitoring.

The laboratories carrying out analysis in QS feed monitoring must be accredited in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. There are also minimum requirements for the range of analysis and the laboratories must participate in ring tests and laboratory competence tests in the feed sector.

For more information on the requirements for laboratories in QS feed monitoring, see the Guideline Feed Monitoring.