Texas Food Defense and Animal Food Product Testing for Microbiological, Chemical and Radiological Hazards, Genome Sequencing, and Special Project Tracks

Abstract
Texas Food Defense and Animal Food Product Testing for Microbiological, Chemical and
Radiological Hazards, Genome Sequencing, and Special Project Tracks
The Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) is comprised of the state agency authorized to
regulate animal food (Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service (FFCS) and an ISO 17025:2017
accredited laboratory (Agricultural Analytical Service (AAS)), which analyzes regulatory
samples for FFCS, the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of
Agriculture. OTSC provides regulatory oversight for 5000 firms that manufacture feed with
locations in Texas, the United States (US) and abroad and distribution of 23 million tons of feed
in Texas. OTSC serves a large animal population including approximately 900,000 dairy cows, 5
million cattle on feed, 12.6 million cows and calves, 21 million layers, and 115 million broilers
along with 12 million dogs and cats, 500,000 equids, and 1.5 million sheep and goats. AAS
laboratory personnel include 12 analysts, four laboratory attendants, three PhD research
scientists/lead chemists, one laboratory quality manager and one laboratory associate director.
The laboratory is organized into four teams that specialize in microbiology,
chromatography/mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and radiochemistry. FFCS regulatory
personnel include 14 field investigators, a manager of accounting, operations manager for
registration and labeling, an associate director of compliance and an associate director of field
operations. In this project. OTSC will strengthen food defense capability in the areas of
microbiology, chemistry, and radiochemistry; expand surveillance of microbiological and
chemical hazards, expand involvement in whole genome sequencing, develop and validate new
methods and participate in all laboratory flexible funding model program activities and meet
reporting requirements. As an outcome of this project, OTSC will expanded capacity and
capabilities of the Texas animal food testing laboratory in support of an integrated food safety
system in the disciplines of microbiology, chemistry and radiochemistry in food defense, animal
food microbiological and chemical product testing, whole genome sequencing,
capability/capacity development, and special project tracks