UK National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for foodborne viruses

In the UK, the competent authorities responsible for the implementation of food law are the Food Standards Agency (FSA; responsible for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS). The FSA and FSS, in turn, have designated the Cefas Weymouth laboratory as the UK National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for foodborne viruses.

Viruses are important causes of foodborne illness with transmission of many different viruses including norovirus, hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus linked to consumption of contaminated food. The foodstuffs most commonly implicated in viral illness include bivalve molluscs and fresh produce (fruit and vegetables), but a wide variety of other foods including meat and processed foods have also been implicated in cases. Sources of viral transmission include:-

• Consumption of raw or lightly cooked foods that are contaminated during production (e.g. bivalve molluscs can accumulate virus within their digestive tissues as they filter feed if their growing waters are contaminated; vegetables may become contaminated with viruses if irrigation water is not clean)
• Contamination of the surfaces of foods (raw or cooked) by for example infected food handlers exercising poor hand hygiene practices or transfer or viruses from food preparation surfaces arising from poor hygiene practices during food preparation.

NRL RESPONSIBILITIES

Articles 100-101 of Retained Regulation (EU) 2017/625, as amended by The Official Controls for Animals, Feed and Food, Plant Health etc. (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, stipulate that UK NRLs will:

• cooperate internationally in their area of competence;
• coordinate the activities of official laboratories responsible for the analysis of samples; 
• where appropriate, organise comparative tests between the official national laboratories and ensure an appropriate follow-up of such comparative testing;
• ensure the dissemination of any information required by the competent authority;
• provide scientific and technical assistance to the competent authority;
• where necessary, conduct training courses for the staff of official laboratories;
• upon request by the appropriate authority, actively assist in the diagnosis of outbreaks of foodborne diseases and in case of non-compliance of consignments, by carrying out confirmatory diagnoses, characterisation and taxonomic studies on pathogen isolates;
• be responsible for carrying out other specific duties as required by the competent authority;
• where relevant, validate the reagents and lots of reagents, establish and maintain up-to-date lists of available reference substances and reagents and of manufacturers and suppliers of such substances and reagents.