State General Laboratory Annual Report 2018

29 State General Laboratory Annual Report 2018 8. Supply and installation of the new Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). 9. Continuous improvement of its credibility, transparency and responsiveness to crises with the aim of preserving the confidence that every Cypriot and European citizen has in the SGL. MAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITY The wide range of the SGL responsibilities and competences is covered by the following four wide areas: Foodstuffs , the Environment , Consumer Products and Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology . FOODSTUFFS Ensuring safe, healthy and quality food is a very important component of protecting public health. The SGL carries out regular official controls and surveillance on foodstuffs, cov- ering all parts of the food production chain, "from the field or farm to the consumer’s table". For this purpose, it carries out various national control programmes with the cooperation of the competent Authorities. Controls are of a preventive nature and focus mainly on basic foods that are consumed frequently or may raise a specific problem, and on foodstuffs expected to be consumed by vulnerable groups of the population such as children and pregnant women. The SGL goes one step beyond the analysis. It evaluates the degree of exposure to toxic substances and to related risks, therefore providing scientifically sound advice to competent Authorities for risk management through appropriate measures. The SGL has been designated as the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for a large area of food analyses and applies an Integrated Multiannual National Control Plan consisting of individual programmes for surveillance, monitoring and control, as well as applied research, focusing on:  The prevention, investigation and problem-solving throughout the food chain for long-term food safety.  The effective implementation of the "acquis communautaire".  Risk assessment, nutritional data and food composition in order to achieve stable supply of safe and wholesome food and healthy choices to consumers.  The provision of valid information to consumers, based on scientific data, to form the correct nutritional/eating habits.  The analysis, characterisation and authenticity of traditional or local food.