SA Graan Junie 2015

June 2015

RELEVANT

Internationally benchmarked

testing services to support

local excellence

he Southern African Grain Labora-

tory (SAGL) was founded in 1997

by the grain and oilseeds industries

as the reference laboratory with the

purpose of measuring the desired char-

acteristics of maize, wheat, soybeans and

other crops for customers in Southern

Africa through reliable and professional

analytical services to promote agriculture.

To ascertain the value of agricultural pro-

ducts, there is a need to identify the ex-

ceptional processing and performance

characteristics. Grain grading and other

quality analyses are necessary tools for

informed decisions to support the evolv-

ing grain marketing process. Accurate and

reliable grain quality data ensure the best

possible return from grain. The SAGL’s key

customers include stakeholders across the

grain value chain ranging from grain pro-

ducers, plant breeders, marketers and trad-

ers to millers, processors and consumers.

As a primary food and feed source for peo-

ple and animals, the grain industry oper-

ates more globally than any other industrial

sector. Global and regional trade requires

accurate, internationally benchmarked and

accepted measurements.

ISO/IEC 17025 is an international stand-

ard covering the general requirements for

the competence of testing and calibration

laboratories. ISO is the International Organi-

sation for Standardisation and IEC is the

International Electrotechnical Commission

and together they formed the specialised

system for worldwide standardisation. The

South African National Accreditation Sys-

tem (SANAS) as a public entity is recog-

nised as the only national body responsible

for carrying out accreditations in respect of

conformity assessment, which includes ac-

creditation of laboratories, certification and

inspection bodies.

Since 1999 the SAGL is accredited under

this quality system offering an extensive

range of analytical testing services on grain,

oilseeds and related food and feed prod-

ucts. The scope of testing covered under

the laboratory’s accreditation is continually

expanded to include new services aligned

with the needs of local and international

customers and also the addition of techni-

cal signatories to strengthen the technical

capability of the laboratory.

The independent and accredited status

of the laboratory guarantees the ability to

complete grain testing quickly and with

the highest degree of accuracy. An integral

part of accreditation under an international

standard such as ISO 17025 involves the

participation in international proficiency

schemes as an ongoing proof of technical

competency. The SAGL participates in a

range of international and local proficiency

schemes such as the American Association

of Cereal Chemist International (AACCI);

Bipea (France); Food Analysis Performance

Assessment Scheme, United Kingdom

(FAPAS); and the Agri-Laboratory Asso-

ciation of Southern Africa (AgriLASA).

This competent team specialises in grain

grading and physical testing, chemical anal-

yses, rheological testing, nutrient analyses

including essential micronutrients (vita-

mins), micro and macro minerals, amino ac-

ids and contaminants such as mycotoxins.

The relevant products covered include

crops such as wheat, maize, grain sorghum

and oilseeds such as soybeans, sunflower

seeds and cereal products and products

thereof such as meal, bran, grits and other.

Support to the grain and oilseeds industry

in a reference laboratory capacity includes

the offering of a range of ring tests to par-

ticipants from South Africa as well as from

the rest of Africa. Ring tests serve as a use-

ful tool for equipment verification, method

optimisation, confirmation of accuracy and

benchmarking against other laboratories.

In addition to the ring tests offered, the

SAGL’s laboratories also fulfil the role of

expert laboratory for the East African Profi-

ciency Scheme.

Residential training is offered to partici-

pants from South Africa and the rest of

Africa including assistance to regional lab-

oratories to elevate their level of reliable

testing and grading of grains and cereals.

The training covers theoretical and practi-

cal hands-on laboratory training for quality

analysis on grain, specific analyses such as

the determination of vitamins and minerals

in fortification premixes and final fortified

products, mycotoxin testing and the imple-

mentation of ISO 17025 requirements in a

testing laboratory.

Useful quality data are generated on an

annual basis on different commodities, in-

cluding maize, wheat, soybeans, sunflower

seeds and grain sorghum. The results are

then published in crop quality reports per

commodity per season. Representative

sampling of each season’s production is

based on a sample collection plan designed

by the industry in collaboration with the

SAGL. The grain and oilseed samples sub-

mitted to the SAGL laboratory for testing

are collected by the grain storing and han-

dling industry according to this approved

sampling plan.

The purpose of annual crop quality surveys

is to provide the grain and oilseeds value

chains with reliable data generated over

several production seasons and regions

under controlled and internationally bench-

marked laboratory conditions. The data

generated as part of these surveys can

statistically be evaluated to identify unique

South African trends and assist with the

focus of future research studies.

Collaborative research studies with ter-

tiary institutes in South Africa and Europe

are designed to find solutions and address

specific needs in the different sectors of the

industry. The SAGL is able to provide the

analytical support for such studies while

collaboration also provides access to spe-

cific technical expertise as part of the pro-

ject teams.

Reliable mycotoxin monitoring and surveil-

lance data is needed to develop strategies

for the reduction of different mycotoxins

relevant to specific agricultural commodi-

ties produced locally and traded interna-

tionally. Global stringent requirements laid

down by the World Health Organisation

(WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation

of the United Nations (FAO), CODEX and

other International Feed and Food Regulat-

ing bodies are increasingly being enforced

and South Africa have to adhere to these

international requirements to maintain our

status as producers of high quality grain and

oilseed products.

WIANA LOUW,

general manager: Southern African Grain Laboratory