Massachusetts lab food safety testing program - overall project summary/abstract the massachusetts state public health laboratory (MA sphl) is requesting funding under RFA- FD-25-007, laboratory…

The Food and Drug Administration awarded a $597,870 cooperative agreement to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on September 20, 2025, under the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (U19) program to enhance human and animal food surveillance through risk-based and prevention-focused testing. The award funds activities under FDA assistance listing 93.103 (Food and Drug Administration Research).

The Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory will conduct foodborne pathogen testing on samples collected by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, operating under six ISO 17025 accredited screening and confirmation methods for Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella species. Specific analytical tracks include human food product testing (minimum 100 environmental swabs from human food production sites yielding 250 analyses), animal food product testing (50 animal food products per year including domestic and production feed yielding 100 analyses), whole genome sequencing of recovered isolates with upload to national databases and repositories per PulseNet and GenomeTrakr procedures, method development and validation activities in years two through five, and participation in future capability and capacity development projects predetermined by FDA to support food safety and food defense testing.

Performance occurs in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, with period of performance through June 30, 2030. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources serves as the partner for sample collection activities.

Massachusetts lab food safety testing program - overall project summary/abstract the massachusetts state public health laboratory (MA sphl) is requesting funding under RFA- FD-25-007, laboratory flexible funding model (U19) to enhance human and animal food surveillance through risk-based and prevention-focused testing. MA sphl intends to partner with MA department of agricultural resources (mdar) for sample collection. MA sphl currently has six testing methods accredited by A2LA to the ISO 17025 standard: screening and confirmation methods for listeria monocytogenes, e. Coli O157:H7 and salmonella SPP. Funds will be used to support current ISO 17025 accredited method capability and bring additional methods on ISO scope to increase capability. MA sphl is seeking approval for the following microbiology analytical tracks: • A1: human food product testing. Mdar has agreed to collect a minimum of 100 environmental swabs from human food production sites, which will be tested for multiple foodborne pathogens, resulting in 250 analyses. • A3: animal food product testing. Mdar has agreed to collect 50 animal food products per year, both domestic and production feed, which will be tested for multiple pathogens and result in 100 analyses. • A4: whole genome sequencing (maintenance). All recovered isolates will be sequenced, analyzed and uploaded to the appropriate national databases or repositories in accordance with pulsenet/genometrakr procedures and will include required metadata that is formatted in a manner that supports querying ncbi. • A7: method development/validation. MA sphl intends to participate in future method development and capacity/capability development projects pre-determined by FDA that support and expand food safety and food defense testing in years 2 through 5. • A8: microbiology capability/capacity development. MA sphl intends to participate in future capability/capacity development projects to assist laboratories in implementing new capabilities (e.g., methods, equipment) to support microbiological testing related to human and animal foods in years 2 through 5.