State General Laboratory Annual Report 2018

26 State General laboratory Annual Report 2018 G.The effective expansion of ammunition controls by the accreditation National Guard Laboratory, which has been set up and scientifically supported by the SGL since 2014 resulted to the completion of over 2,094 sample controls (2014 - 2018). H. Continuous expansion of the " Isotopic Mapping of Cyprus Food and Drinks " to create databases, in order to certify their authenticity which contributes to their registration and promotion and facilitates the control of local and imported products in the Cyprus market. I. Continuation of its participation in the project " Black Gold: Analysis of carobs and carob-based products ", of the University of Cyprus which aims to boost carob production growth in Cyprus and to promote carob products with nutritional added value. Alongside, the SGL contributed to the preparation of the research proposal "Black Gold: When Science meets the Industry", which was approved for funding by the Research Promotion Foundation. J. Contribution to the standardisation of traditional carob products (e.g. carob syrup) and new products (e.g. alcoholic beverages) for the purpose of their registration as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products, through the study of their physical, chemical, isotopic and organoleptic characteristics and the gathering of evidence proving the link with their botanical and geographical origin. K. Continuation of its participation in the project " AGROFOOD " (Interreg) aiming to highlight traditional and local products of Cyprus and the North Aegean through identification of their authenticity, and enhance their competi- tiveness. L. Substantial contribution to EFSA actions, within the context of Dietary Risk Assessment in particular. More specifically the SGL: a) By using its "Improrisk" deterministic model for dietary risk exposure of the population at individual level, conducted dietary risk assessment for the Cypriot population (adolescents) exposure to chemicals (in 2018, to Aflatoxin B1), and b) contributed to the harmonisation of the dietary risk assessment at EU level, by participating in an "Expert Mission on Conducting Dietary Risk Assessment with "ImpoRisk Model", within the TAIEX programme. M. Finalisation of the first official " National Dietary Survey of the Cyprus population ", according to EFSA require- ments, which covers all ages from infants to 74-year-old people, including pregnant women. The survey had been conducted from December 2014 till February 2018, with cooperation with the national "Research and Education Institute of Child Health" and was carried out in the frame- work of the "EU MENU" project of EFSA. Its objective is the harmonised collection of food consumption data in the EU Member States for calculating the exposure of the population to chemical and other hazards through food. Its ultimate goal is the use of these data in risk assessment studies for the Cypriot population exposure to various chemicals through food.