Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries strengthens fisheries quality assurance through laboratory reference materials
Jakarta — The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is strengthening the national quality assurance system for fisheries products by introducing Indonesia’s first nationally accredited producer of Staphylococcus aureus reference materials (RM), accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN).
Acting Director-General for Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fisheries Products at KKP, Machmud, stated that developing reference materials represents a strategic step for the KKP to enhance the competitiveness of fisheries products.
“This development ensures laboratory testing results are traceable and comply with standards, thereby strengthening the assurance and competitiveness of Indonesian fisheries products,” he said in a press statement in Jakarta on Monday.
Machmud explained that reference materials function as comparative standards in laboratory testing whilst enhancing the reliability of testing laboratories and supporting global market confidence in Indonesian fisheries products.
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequently required microbiological parameters in food safety standards. This bacterium produces heat-resistant enterotoxins, remaining hazardous even after food products have been cooked.
Head of the Centre for Testing Application of Marine and Fisheries Products (BBP3KP), Rahmadi Sunoko, added that the Staphylococcus aureus reference materials have undergone rigorous processes to guarantee purity, homogeneity, and stability.
“These reference materials help laboratories maintain consistent test results, particularly in detecting microbial contamination in fisheries products,” he said.
He further noted that the reference materials meet international standards ISO 17034:2016 as well as ISO 33403:2024 and ISO 33405:2024.
With these standards met, the reference materials can be used for various laboratory technical requirements, ranging from verification and validation of test methods, inter-laboratory comparison testing, to proficiency testing.