Food Microbiology Laboratory, Cyprus State General Laboratory

Mission: Protection of public health and encouragement of Good Manufacturing Practice in the Food Industry, through the official microbiological control of foodstuffs. Objectives: Support the Public Health Services (PHS) of the Ministry of Health with the monitoring of, mainly, ready-to-eat foodstuffs from the market, for pathogenic and hygiene indicator microorganisms. Support the PHS for the microbiological control of high risk foodstuffs imported from 3rd countries. Support in the PHS for the investigation of foodborne outbreaks and consumer complaints. The Laboratory also collaborates with the Department of Agriculture for the monitoring of fruits and vegetables at primary production level. The quality of analyses is maintained through the implementation of an internal quality control system according to ISO 17025:2017. Research and other activities: The laboratory collaborates with the European Reference Laboratories for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and coagulase positive staphylococci (CPS), respectively, for the validation and implementation of a molecular characterization method for Lm and for the implementation of a method for the molecular detection of staphylococcal enterotoxigenic genes in CPS strains. It also participates/has participated in the European research projects DiTect and EuroBiotox.