New Agro Food Development Center and Laboratories (AFCDL) at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida

The Daily Star newspaper published a report on the recently inaugurated Agro Food Development Center and Laboratories at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida. According to Joelle Ojeil, the technical manager of the AFCDL, the centre hosts two types of laboratories namely a micro-biological foods laboratory that provides tests for agricultural products and baked goods, and a laboratory equipped to examine the physical and chemical properties of food products. These tests are requested either by the Consumer Protection Department or from company owners who wish to examine their own products or are in the product development process, according to Ojeil.
In addition, AFDCL hosts a fully equipped pilot plant set up with the financial support of USAID.  The plant is available for lease by beneficiaries seeking to develop new products as well as to experiment new processes, products and equipment.
AFDCL had recently earned the ISO (International Standard Operation) 17025 certification and is also certified by the Ministry of Economy and Trade t receive items for testing from consumer safety departments in Nabatieh and Saida, thus decentralizing food quality management services, most of which are located in the capital.
Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/May-16/217267-new-lab-seeks-to-improve-food-quality-in-the-south.ashx#ixzz2TR5PIUt5">The Daily Star 16 May 2013