External Quality Assurance System (EQAS)

Participation in internal and external quality assurance systems is a useful tool for production of reliable laboratory results of consistently good quality.

Descriptions of the EQAS​

The National Food Institute, a WHO Collaborating Centre has in a number of years been responsible for conducting the WHO GFN EQAS for Salmonella serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).

Laboratories are requested to test the bacterial strains by the methods routinely used and the results should then be submitted to DTU Food through a webtool (password-protected) which upon deadline will generate an evaluation report.  

Final summary reports of previously conducted EQAS are available for download below..

Various aspects of the proficiency test scheme may from time to time be subcontracted. When subcontracting occurs it is placed with a competent subcontractor and the National Food Institute is responsible to the scheme participants for the subcontractor's work.

Currently, though, as funding resources are not available to cover for the continuation of the current setup, we are working on renewing the concept. We wish to strengthen the focus on quality assurance of surveillance data and consequently allow all officially appointed reference laboratories submitting monitoring data to WHO (Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS)) or FAO (FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems (FAO-ATLASS)). 

When the setup has been finally decided, we will update the above description to present the re-defined EQAS. 

EQAS reports

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EQAS Report - 2018

(PDF document, 3.3 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2017

(PDF document, 2.6 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2015

(PDF document, 1.6 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2014

(PDF document, 1.9 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2013

(PDF document, 1.6 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2012

(PDF document, 2.3 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2010

(PDF document, 1.7 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2009

(PDF document, 2 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2008

(PDF document, 1.3 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2007

(PDF document, 1 MB)

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EQAS Report - 2006

(PDF document, 520 KB)

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EQAS Report - 2004

(PDF document, 400 KB)

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EQAS Report - 2003

(PDF document, 250 KB)

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EQAS Report - 2002

(PDF document, 50 KB)

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EQAS Report - 2001

(PDF document, 140 KB)

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EQAS Report - 2000

(PDF document, 134 KB)

Eligibility to participate

Currently being discussed. Please see 'Description of the EQAS' above.

​Fees

Participation in the EQAS is free of charge for laboratories participating in the GFN. However, if your country claims taxes or customs fees this will be on the participating laboratory's expenses.

How to participate

WHO EQAS 2020 has been cancelled.  See also 'Description of the EQAS' above.


Information regarding WHO GFN EQAS 2019

Bacterial cultures have been shipped and specific protocol and materials regarding the 2019 iteration of the WHO GFN EQAS are available for download below. 

To submit results for the WHO GFN EQAS 2019, access the webtool via this link: https://amr-eqas.dtu.dk/ (restricted access, username/password is required). See below the 'Guideline for submission of results via webtool'.

To browse results from previous EQAS iterations use this link: http://eqas.food.dtu.dk/who (restricted access, username/password is required)

Protocol (text)

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Protocol for WHO EQAS 2019

(PDF document, 150 KB)

Protocol (test forms)

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Testforms for WHO EQAS 2019

(Word document, 0.5 MB)

Guideline for submission of results via webtool

Subculture and Maintenance of Quality Strains

Instructions for Opening and Reviving Lyophilised Cultures

Disclaimer​

​Information presented on this website is considered public information (unless otherwise noted) and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credit is requested. While The National Food Institute makes every effort to provide accurate and complete information, various data such as names, telephone numbers, etc. may change prior to updating. The National Food Institute welcomes suggestions on how to improve our home page and correct errors. The National Food Institute provides no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of furnished data.

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INFORMATION​

Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute

CVR: 30060946

AdDress

Denmark

DK-2800 Lyngby

Kemitorvet Building 204​

Contact us

Tlf.: +45 3588 6601

E-mail: suska@food.dtu.dk