1. Importance of meat and meat product testing:

• Meat and meat products are products of the agricultural industry, a source of protein, fat, and essential amino acids for the human body. In addition, it is also used as a raw material for the production of animal feed and aqua feed.
• In the process of raising and processing meat and meat products, pollutants, chemical residues, and microorganisms may exist or arise, which are the main causes of food safety hazards. Therefore, the testing of meat and meat products is the work of controlling and assessing the level of food safety for chemical residues, microbiological contaminants, and toxic substances. In addition, the test also provides information about the nutritional composition of the serving calculation.

2. Some legal documents and standards stipulate:

• Circular 15/2009/TT-BNN: List of chemicals and antibiotics banned from use in aquatic product production and trading.
• Circular 24/2013/TT-BYT: Regulating the maximum limit of veterinary drug residues in food.
• Circular 10/2016/TT-BNNPTNT: List of banned veterinary drugs
• QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT: National technical regulation on limits of heavy metal contamination in food
• QCVN 8-3: 2012/BYT: National technical regulation on microbial contamination in food
• Decision 46/2007/QD/BYT: Regulations on maximum limits of biological and chemical contamination in food
• Circular 24:2019/TT/BYT: Management of the management and use of food additives
• Circular 50/2016/TT-BYT: Regulation on the maximum limit of pesticide residues in food
• TCVN 12429-1:2018 – Cool meat
• TCVN 12429-2:2020 – Buffalo and beef meat
• TCVN 12429-3:2021 – Poultry meat
• TCVN 7046:2009 – Fresh meat
• TCVN 7050:2009 – Processed meat and meat products without heat treatment
• TCVN 7049:2002 – Heat-treated meat and meat products

3. List of test items:
   • Microbiological indicators:

• The parameters of parasites: Beef rice, pork rice, and helminths.
• Analysis to determine the limit of microbial contamination (total aerobic microorganisms, Coliforms, E.coli, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium botulinum, Total yeast – mold, …)
• Testing for veterinary diseases: H5N1, Chay African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, …
  • Chemical specifications:
• Sensory (state, color, smell, taste)
• Digestive parameters: Protein, Lipid, Carbohydrate, energy, ammonia content, the qualitative reaction of hydrogen sulfide, Kreiss reaction, …
• Heavy metal content: Pb, Cd, As, Hg, …
• Analysis of growth hormone residues and veterinary drugs (Beta Agonist, Testosterone, Progesterone, Macrolide and Lincosamide, Colistin…)
• Analysis of group antibiotics:
• Flouroquinolone: ​​Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Flumequin, Danofloxacin, Difloxacin, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Sarafloxacin, Norfloxacin, …
• Sulfonamide: Sulfamethazine (Sulfadimidine), Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfadiazine, Sulfathiazole, Sulfadimethoxine, Sulfamerazine, Sulfamethoxypyridazine, Sulfadoxine, Sulfachinoxalin, Sulfachloropyridazine, Sulfisoxazole, Sulfamonomethoxine, Sulfaphenazole, Sulfapyridine, Sulfapyridine.
• Amphenicol: Chlopramphenicol, Florfenicol, Thiamphenicol.
• Tetracycline: Tetracycline, Chlorotetracycline, Doxycycline, Oxytetracycline.
• Nitroinidazole: Dimetridazole, Metronidazole, Metronidazole-hydroxyl, Ronidazole, Tinidazole, Ipronidazole, Ipronidazolehydroxyl (IPZ-OH), Metronidazole-hydroxy (MNZ-OH).
• Malachite green: Malachite green (MG), Leucomalachite green (LMG), Crystal violet (CV), Leucocrystal violet (LCV).
• Nitrofuran and metabolites: Furazolidone, AOZ, AMOZ, AHD, SEM, …
• Pesticides: Trifluraline, Chlorpyrifos, Fipronil, Cypermethrin, Permethrin, Carbendazim, Dichlorvos, …
• Identification of Vitamins
• Other poisons: Histamine, Urea, Formadehyde, ….
• Food additives and food colorants: Sodium Benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Sodium glutamate, Tartrazine, Allura Red, Sunset yellow, Auramine O, …

4. Analytical sample background:

TSL provides meat and meat product testing of all sample subjects:

• Ingredients: pork, beef, chicken, offal, skin, …
• Meat products: spring rolls, sausages, bacon, ….
• Canned food

5. Analytical device:

• In order to promptly meet the needs of customers and improve the quality of meat and meat product testing activities, TSL has equipped with modern and synchronous analytical equipment:
• Devices measuring physical parameters: pH, Kjeldalh nitrogen distillation system.
• Molecular absorption spectrophotometer (UV-Vis).
• Ion chromatography (IC) system.
• Liquid chromatography system with probes (HPLC/DAD/FLD, UPLC/DAD/FLD/RID) and liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (LC/MSMS).
• Gas chromatography systems (GC/FID/ECD) and gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC/MSMS).
• Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) system.
• Atomic emission spectrometer system (ICP – OES) and ICP – MS system.

6. Analytical method:

• All analytical procedures used to test meat and meat products at TSL are referenced to the standard methods of Vietnam and common standards in the world such as TCVN, QCVN, AOAC, ISO, and JECFA, … and all these processes are surveyed and validated in accordance with ISO 17025.
• All methods are tested to assess staff skills, participate in inter-departmental comparisons and implement domestic and international PT programs.
• The majority of analytical methods are accredited to ISO 17025 by AOSC.
• In addition, TSL is also designated by ministries and sectors as a testing agency for state management:
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – ​​Director of the Department of Quality Management of Agro-Forestry-Fisheries and Agro-Forests and Fisheries appointed in the certificates: 249/QD-QLCL and 74/QD-QLCL.
• The Ministry of Agriculture – Department of Livestock Production and the Directorate of Fisheries designate in the certificates: 349/QD-CN-TăCN, 29/QD-CN-TACN, and 133/QD-TCTS-KHCN&HTQT.
• The Ministry of Industry and Trade specified in the certificates: 392/QD-BCT and 2032/QD-BCT.
• The Ministry of Health specified in the certificate: 554/QD-ATTP.