1. About the Laboratory Department
   1. Roles and Duties

(Pursuant to Article 37 of Sub-Decree No. 38 ANKR.BK on Organization and Functioning of the Ministry of Commerce)

The Laboratory Department shall have the following duties:

• To research, prepare and establish policies and strategic plans in order to strengthen work performance and ensure effective management and expertise;
• To prepare and operate the laboratory management system in accordance with the requirement on “Good Laboratory Practice” or general requirements for laboratory capacity building in conformity with international standards;
• To prepare sufficient documents on guidelines, work flow, and formalities for laboratories;
• To analyze product quality and safety in compliance with valid accuracy methods, assess the suitability of products and ensure the safekeeping and proper management of data;
• To take samples to analyze in laboratory, if necessary;
• To set test parameters for requesting the evaluation of the assessment capacity from official accredited institutions;
• To manage the operations and technical affairs of small and mobile laboratories;
• To establish and strengthen the capacity of laboratories through cooperation with local, regional and international laboratories;
• To prepare annual action plans and budget plans of the department;
• To manage and organize administrative work, staffing, and inventories of the department; and
• To perform other relevant duties as assigned by the General Director.

1. 2 The Organizational Structure of the Laboratory Department
   • Picture to be provided

1.3 Activities

The activities in the laboratory are divided in two main parts as follows:

1. Headquarters Lab:
2. To analyze samples as required for:
3. responding to the clients’ requests;
4. inspecting market as required by municipal and provincial branches of CCF;
5. investigating any infractions;
6. consumer complaints;
7. the market inspection programme; and
8. To issue certificates on the analysis for clarifying the safety for consumption, quality and specifications of samples;
9. To certify validity in analysis procedures;
10. To provide technical capacity building to officials of small laboratories at city and provincial levels; and
11. To participate in disseminating laws and regulations and documenting infractions related to the quality and safety of goods and services and consumer protection.

1. The Mobile Lab will:
2. Participate in examining goods in the market in cooperation with municipal and provincial CCF branches and location authorities;
3. Investigate cases of food poisoning and take samples when necessary;
4. Verify the compliance of quantity, quality and retail prices of petroleum at petrol and depot stations; and
5. Examine imported/exported goods as requested by the General Department of Custom and Excise in Cambodia.

Currently, the Mobile Lab of the General Department CCF has 2 parts as follows:

1. The Mobile Lab for Food Testing; and
2. The Mobile Lab for Petroleum Testing.

1. 4 Capacity Building and Human Resource Development Activities

1. 5 Achievements and Experiences

• Collaboration on investigating cases of rice wine poisoning in Kratie and Kampong Chhnang provinces;
• Collaboration on investigating falsification of alcoholic hand sanitizer quality;
• Collaboration on investigating, advising and imposing penalties on distribution stations that had supplied petroleum with misleading quantity, quality and retail prices;
• Collaboration on examining imported/exported goods with GDCE at Chrey Thom, Phnom Den and Trapeang Thlong border gates;
• Collaboration on investigating consumers’ complaints regarding the quantity of iron contained in infant formula for 0 – 12 month old babies; and

Collaboration on investigating consumers’ complaints on technical aspect of health supplements in order to guide the health product and supplement distributors about ethical advertisement.

Public Service

2.1       The Analysis Fee

2.2       Capacity of analysis

The Laboratory of the General Department of CCF is a technical agency providing analysis services on the parameters of foods, agriculture products, petroleum and other products. Currently, the Laboratory of the General Department of CCF compiles necessary technical documents for fulfilling the official accreditation in compliance with the ISO/IEC Guide 17025 “General Requirement for the competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories”.

In addition, officials of the Laboratory of the General Department of CCF possess knowledge, technical skills and experience, and shall have further capacity development capacity by the organization to ensure the high quality and effectiveness of public services.

2.2.1    The Analysis Capacity by Parameters

                                    Parameters of microbiological food testing

Parameters of physics, ingredients and nutrients

Parameters of food additives

Parameters of chemical transmission and chemical waste in food

Parameters of petroleum and products (there is still a lack of information)

2.2.2    Capacity of analysis by type of products

Food

Agriculture products

Petroleum

Products (there is still a lack of information)

2.3       The Procedure on Requesting Analysis and Obtaining Analysis Certification

1. Contact Information

Public Service Working Hours: Monday-Friday       Morning    8:30 am – 11:00 am

                                                                              Afternoon 13:30 pm – 16:00 pm

Office address: street No. 18, Kdey Takoy Village, Sangkat Veal Sbov, Khan Chbar Ompov, Phnom Penh.

Mobile: [•]