About us

Accreditation

Why Do We Need Accreditation?

Accreditation is a process whereby testing facilities are monitored and assessed regularly in order to ensure the services provided are accurate, consistent, and performed by acknowledged systems and methods, and by appropriately trained staff.

The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) is a renowned laboratory accreditation authority, with worldwide recognition.

“NATA accreditation recognises and promotes facilities competent in specific types of testing, measurement, inspection and calibration.”

When you choose a laboratory with NATA accrediation you can be confident in the quality of the work performed.

 

How Do We Undertake Quality Assurance?

To maintain our high quality testing and service standards, Sonic Food & Water Testing participates in regular external proficiency programs, training courses and seminars.

Quality is maintained by regular benchwork training and staff competence records to reflect each individual’s performance in both external proficiency training (NATA and IFM) and internal proficiencies, scheduled at regular intervals.

Staff also audit procedures in the laboratory to ensure quality is maintained at a high standard.

NATA directs inter-laboratory Quality Proficiency Programs which allow us to benchmark and compare ourselves with other laboratories. This comparison also helps ensure consistency of test performance and standardisation of result data.

 

Australian Government

Sonic Food & Water Testing meets the requirements of the Department of Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry; qualifying as an Appointed Analyst. Thus we are authorised to undertake the analysis of food inspected by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) under the Imported Food Control Act 1992.

In order to be appointed as an analyst, Sonic Food & Water Testing conforms to a strict set of testing, reporting, and accreditation guidelines.

 

NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities)

The Sonic Food & Water Testing laboratory complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

We Have Full NATA Accreditation (No: 4034) (Scope Last Changed 13-AUG-09 )
(details below)

  • 8.11 Microbiological tests on foods
      .01 Cereal products
      .02 Nuts and nut products
      .03 Dairy products
      .04 Meat and meat products
      .05 Poultry and poultry products
      .07 Fish, crustaceans and molluscs
      .12 Vegetables and vegetable products
      .13 Fruit and fruit products
      .14 Beverages
      .17 Animal feeds
      .20 Mixed Foods
      .25 Additives to foods
      .27 Herbs and spices
      .28 Pet foods
  • 8.18 Microbiological tests for monitoring defined environments
    Factory and Hospital cool rooms
      .01 Surfaces
      .03 Water
  • 8.70 Waters, including effluents

      .11 Bacteriological condition of potable waters
      .12 Bacteriological condition of industrial waters
      .13 Bacteriological condition of sewage
      .15 Bacteriological condition of swimming pools and spas
      .16 Bacteriological condition of environmental waters
      .17 Bacteriological condition of recycled waters
      .18 Bacteriological condition of purified / processed waters


    • Foods
    For the following determinations -
    Coliforms, lactic acid bacteria, pH, plate count, yeasts and moulds
    Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens,
    Enterobacteriacieae, Escherichia coli, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella,
    Staphylococcus (coagulase producing strains)
    By the methods of -
    AOAC 991.14, AOAC 998.08, AS 5013.4-2004, AS 5013.15-2004, ISO 15214-1998,
    APHA 4500-H-2005, AS 5013.1-2004, AS 1766.2.2-1997, AS 5013.2-2007,
    AS 5013.6-2004, AS 5013.16-2005, AS 5013.8-2004 (plate count only),
    AS 1766.2.12-2001, AS 1766.2.15-1998, AS 1766.2.16-1998, AS 5013.10-2004,
    AS 5013.12.1-2004, FB-PROCS-0013


    Factory and Hospital cool rooms
    For the following determinations -
    Plate count, yeast and moulds,
    Escherichia coli, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes
    By the methods of -
    For surfaces
    AS 5013.1-2004, AS 1766.2.2-1997, AOAC 991.14, AOAC 998.08, AS 1766.2.15-1998,
    AS 1766.2.16-1998
    For waters
    AS 4276.5-2007, AS 4276.7-2007

    Waters
    For the following determinations -
    Coliforms (thermotolerant and total), enterococci, pH, plate count,
    Escherichia coli, Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus (coagulase producing strains)
    By the methods of -
    AS 4276.5-2007, AS 4276.6-2007, AS 4276.7-2007, AS 4276.22-2007, AS 4276.9-2007, APHA 4500-H-2005, AS 4276.3.1-1995, AS 4276.3.2-2003, FB-PROCS-0319,
    AS 3896-2008, AS 4276.13-2008, AS 4276.20-2003