Official feed and food control laboratories

In the UK, official feed and food laboratories are Public and Agricultural Analysts and Food Examiners (microbiology laboratories) that undertake work for local authorities. Other designated laboratories undertake official controls in specified areas.

All official laboratories must employ staff who have qualifications defined by national legislation.  In addition, to be named an official control laboratory, laboratories must have a Public or Agricultural Analyst (formally appointed by a local authority) or a qualified Food Examiner.

We are responsible for appointing the majority of official feed and food control laboratories in the UK according to the National Control Plan, as required by Regulation 882/2004. We do not own or operate any of these laboratories.

Any questions should be directed to the laboratory itself.

Public and Agricultural Analysts and Food Examiners

Key of analyst types:

• Agricultural Analyst - AA
• Public Analyst – PA
• Food Examiner - FE

Aberdeen Scientific Services Laboratory (AA PA FE)
Aberdeen City Council
Old Aberdeen House
Dunbar Street, Aberdeen 
Scotland AB24 3UJ
tel: 01224 491648
email: ASSL@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Edinburgh Scientific Services (AA PA FE)
City of Edinburgh Council
4 Marine Esplanade
Edinburgh 
Scotland EH6 7LU
tel: 0131 555 7980

Glasgow Scientific Services (AA PA FE)
Glasgow City Council
Colston Laboratory
64 Everard Drive, Glasgow 
Scotland G21 1XG
tel: 0141 276 0610

H J Evans Division - Minton, Treharne & Davies Ltd (AA PA)
Unit 5 Llwyn-yr-Eos, Parc Menter
Cross Hands, Llanelli
Carmarthenshire 
Wales SA14 6RA
tel: 01269 833 990

Hampshire Scientific Service (AA PA FE)
Hyde Park Road
Southsea, Hampshire 
England PO5 4LL
tel: 023 9282 9501

Kent Scientific Services (AA PA)
8 Abbey Wood Road, Kings Hill
West Malling, Kent 
England ME19 6YT
tel: 03000 415100

Lancashire County Scientific Services (AA PA FE)
Pedders Way
Preston Riversway Docklands
Preston 
England PR2 2TX
tel: 01772 721660

Minton, Treharne & Davies Ltd (see also H J Evans Division) (AA PA)
Merton House
Croescadarn Close, 
Pentwyn Cardiff 
Wales CF23 8HF
tel: 02920 540 000

Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory (FE)
Belfast City Hospital, 
Lisburn Road Belfast 
Northern Ireland BT9 7AD 
tel: 028 90263588
email: DL-BLL-NIPHL@belfasttrust.hscni.net

Public Analyst Scientific Services Ltd (PASS) (AA PA FE)
i54 Business Park
Valiant Way, Wolverhampton,
England WV9 5GB
tel: 01902 627241
email: info@publicanalystservices.co.uk

Tayside Scientific Services (AA PA FE)
Dundee City Council
James Lindsay Place, Dundee Technopole
Dundee 
Scotland DD1 5JJ
tel: 01382 307170

Public Health England (PHE)

Food Water and Environmental Laboratories (FWE)

FWEM Network London Laboratory (FE)
61 Colindale Avenue, London 
England NW9 5EQ
tel: 0208 327 65500/49
email: FWEM@phe.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, Porton (FE)
Salisbury
Wiltshire 
England SP4 0JG
tel: 01980 616766
email: FWEPorton@phe.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, York (FE)
The Food and Environmental Research Agency (Fera Science)
Sand Hutton, York 
England YO41 1LZ
tel: 01904 468948
email: YorkFWELab@phe.gov.uk
 

Public Health Wales (PHW)

Microbiology Bangor (FE)
Ysbyty Gwynedd, 
Bangor, Gwynedd 
Wales LL57 2PW
tel: 01248 384718

Microbiology Cardiff (FE)
Llandough Hospital
Penlan Road, Penarth 
Wales CF64 2XX
tel: 029 20716745

Microbiology Carmarthenshire (FE)
Glangwili General Hospital
Carmarthen 
Wales SA31 2AF
tel: 01267 237271

Other official control laboratories 

Other official control laboratories for specific areas of work as defined in the UK National Control Plan.

Shellfish

Laboratories testing for marine biotoxins in live bivalve molluscs

Laboratories testing for planktons in shellfish production and relaying areas

Scotland

SAMS (The Scottish Association of Marine Science)
SAMS Research Services Ltd
Scottish Marine Institute, Oban,
Argyll PA37 1QA
tel: 01631 559000 

Laboratories monitoring chemical contaminants in shellfish

Laboratories monitoring Escherichia coli in shellfish

Scotland

Cefas Weymouth Laboratory (mainland and Western Isles)
SSQC  (Shetland Seafood Quality Control) (Shetland and Orkney only)
Port Arthur, Scalloway
Shetland  ZE1 0UN
tel: 01595 772441

This laboratory may also undertake testing of samples of shellfish at our request for Salmonella spp. (excluding Salmonella Typhi) and Vibrio spp. (restricted to Vibrio parahaemolyticus).

Raw cows' drinking milk

Other specified official control laboratories in Northern Ireland

Laboratories analysing milk and milk products

Laboratories monitoring feed samples

Laboratories monitoring Trichinella parasites in farmed animals

 (This also applies to Scotland)

Laboratories monitoring Trichinella parasites in wild boar