SAGL Internal Quality Control

As an independent grain and oilseed testing laboratory in Southern Africa, SAGL strives to ensure accurate results and customer satisfaction with good laboratory practices (glp) and internal quality control processes. The SAGL’s good laboratory practices for facilities and environmental conditions, analysis methods and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as well as calibration and verification of equipment are carried out according to ISO/IEC 17025 and SAGL Quality Policy and Procedures. The internal quality policies and procedures apply to all methodologies performed in the laboratories.

Since technical training of personnel forms an integral part of generating accurate test results, method validation data is statistically processed on completion to confirm technical competency of laboratory personnel.

Quality Control

Control samples are analysed on a daily basis for every method and results plotted on control charts to enable easy interpretation of data. SAGL analyses on average 14 557 control samples annually.

Reference standards are also available for several methods and are used to validate methodology and equipment.

To benchmark the laboratory against international laboratories, SAGL participates in international proficiency schemes as listed in the table below.

PROFICIENCY SERVICE PROVIDER FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION – # OF SAMPLES PER YEAR MATRIX ANALYSIS ACCREDITED
American Association of Cereal Chemists International (AACCI) United States of America 6 Wheat Flour Moisture & Alveograph
Hard Wheat Flour Moisture, Protein, Ash, Falling number and Diastatic activity*
Feed Samples Moisture, Protein, Ash, Crude fat (EE) and Crude fibre
Different Grain Based Matrices Moisture & Total dietary fibre
Hard Wheat Flour Moisture & Farinograph
Wheat Flour Moisture & Mixograph
Different Matrices Moisture, Vitamins & Minerals
12 Different Matrices Moisture & Sugar* (Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Maltose and Lactose)  
Bureau Interprofesionnel der Etudes Analitiques (BIPEA) France 10 Wheat Flour (Different types) Moisture, Protein, Falling Number, Ash, Damaged starch*, Gluten (Wet & Dry)*, Gluten index*, Alveograph
Wheat Flour (Different types) Moisture and Farinograph
Different Matrices Mycotoxins
5 Amino Acids   (Animal feed) Protein, Free and Protein bound amino acids  
The Food and Environmental Research Agency (FAPAS) United Kingdom 10 Various Mycotoxin Matrices Mycotoxins
1 Milk Powder Melamine
5 Bread Crumbs / Biscuits / Cereal / Soy bean meal / Poultry ration Moisture, Ash, Nitrogen, Starch*, Total dietary fibre, Crude fat, Crude fibre* and Sodium
AgriLASA South Africa 12 Various Feed Samples Moisture*, Protein, Ash, Crude fat, Crude fibre*, Dietary fibre,  Starch* and Minerals
Romer Labs Check-Sample-Survey 1 Maize Wheat Deoxynivalenol Zearalenone
Aflatoxin Proficiency Testing and Control in Africa, Asia and Americas (APTECA) 2 Maize meal Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2
Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) 1 4 different pesticides *Different active ingredient content
National Laboratory Association – South Africa (NLA) 3-4 Pesticide formulations *Tests: Active ingredients content *Physical tests: Suspensibility, Emulsion stability, Foaming, pH range, Density
*  Not accredited method.

Internal Audits

SAGL’s dedicated Quality Controller carries out internal audits, including management (Quality System), technical (laboratory) and vertical (methods) audits for both accredited and non-accredited methods on a twelve to eighteen month audit cycle. Corrective actions are raised and addressed within the SAGL’s Quality System to improve quality policies and procedures and to ensure quality of test results.