Faculty of veterinary medicine in Skopje (FVMS) is public institution for high education that operates within the University St. Cyril’s and Methodius in Skopje, and is the leading national diagnostic, research and scientific institution in the field of veterinary medicine and food safety in Republic of North Macedonia. Comprised of three Institutes [the Veterinary Institute (VI), the Food Institute (FI) and the Institute of Reproduction and Biomedicine (IBR)], Laboratories are accredited by the Institute for Accreditation of R. Macedonia (certificate.no. LT-006) (http://iarm.gov.mk/files/Akreditirani-tela/Laboratorii/OB05-25_LT-006.pdf), which confirms the fulfillment of the requirements of the international standard „МКС EN ISO/IEC 17025:2006” in the field of testing foodstuffs, water, examination of animal diseases and testing of environmental condition at farms for food producing animals and air emission from animal farms. Competences: Food institute (FI) FI has four different laboratories (Laboratory for microbiology, Laboratory for residues and contaminants, Laboratory for quality of food and feed, Laboratory for raw milk quality). All of them are accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025. Methodology that is used is in compliance to relevant international standards such ISO, AOAC and other recognized protocols. Samples that are processed in the FI are: raw materials, food and feed, animal tissues, raw milk, potable water, wine, honey, surface and carcasses swabs, environmental samples (feces and dust), isolates for antimicrobial resistance, and foodborne pathogens. Testing methods are implemented do detect and identify following agens: all foodborne pathogens - Salmonella spp.,Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., E. Coli O157:H7 and hygiene indicator-TVC, enterobacteriaceae, coagulase-positive staphylococcus, Cl. Botulinum and other, PFGE typing of foodborne isolates with own database FPQuest, antimicrobial resistance, residues of pesticides and veterinary medical products, heavy metals and other toxic elements and contaminants, microelements, mycotoxins, radionuclides γ-spectrometry, and additives using UV/Vis spectrometry, histamine, food and feed quality-fat, proteins, sugars, ash, dry matter, acidity, pH, fatty acids composition, artificial sweetener, food colorants, lactose, food preservatives. Veterinary Institute (VI) The VI acts as reference and designated laboratory in the field of animal health and veterinary public health. It performs routine testing for various animal diseases (including zoonoses) for governmental interest and also performs tests upon requirement of contracted customers. VI consists of 9 laboratories such as: Laboratory for microbiology, Laboratory for serology and molecular diagnostics, Laboratory for diagnosis of rabies, Laboratory for parasitology and parasitic diseases, Laboratory for TSE, Laboratory for diagnosis of fish, bees and wildlife, Laboratory for pathology and pathohistology, Laboratory for pathophysiology, Laboratory for animal hygiene and ecology and Centre for zoonosis.
Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Macedonia is a national health institution in the field of preventive health care with aim to promote health and general welfare of the population through scientifically based knowledge, best practices, information and organizational partnerships and sustainable impact on public health policies. Laboratory tests are performed in accordance with applicable national and international standards and regulations, considering the needs and requirements of the food operators and official controls. Quality in performing laboratory analysis at the Center of reference laboratories is provided by developing and following agreed professional standards and guidelines, continuous professional development of staff in the field of public health, implementation and maintenance of laboratory management system and accreditation of laboratories. Methods for testing food and feed safety, drinking and mineral water safety, food contact products, medical products and drugs, radiological testing are accredited by Institute for accreditation of Republic of Macedonia, according ISO 17025:2005. Institute of public health is composed of: Biological Laboratories: Laboratory receipt of biological materials, the preparation of substrates and disposal of infectious waste, Laboratory of Bacteriology and antimicrobial resistance, Laboratory of Virology and Molecular Diagnostics, Laboratory of Parasitology, Laboratory for sanitary microbiology, Laboratory hematological – biochemical tests. Chemical Laboratories: Laboratory for testing food quality, Laboratory for water testing, Laboratory for contaminants and eco-toxicology, Laboratory testing of metals, Laboratory for health safety of items for general use Radiological laboratories: Laboratory of Radioecology, Laboratory for ionizing radiation. Department for food safety and Department for drinking water safety and environmental sanitation, are within Sector for Environmental health and stuff is dealing with risk assessment for microbiological, chemical or radiological hazards in food, drinking water, mineral water or spring water. At local level IPH has 10 Centers for public health, with similar structure like IPH, units for epidemiology, environmental health, health statistics, and laboratories mainly developed for testing microbiological safety, food quality, metals.
The State Phytosanitary Laboratory (SFL) provides advanced and quality laboratory services for the diagnosis and determination of harmful organisms, biological testing, examination of the physical and chemical properties of plant protection products, pesticide residues in plant production, analysis of the active substance, analysis of the active substance seeds and seedlings, sampling of seeds and parameters for determining the quality of agricultural products. The State Phytosanitary Laboratory is an accredited laboratory in accordance with the standards for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories MKS ISO / IEC 17025: 2006. A total of 145 methods have been accredited, of which 55 in the Department for Analytical Chemistry and Analysis of Fertilizers, 64 Methods in the Department of Plant Diseases and Harmful Organisms, and 26 methods in the Sector for Seed, Planting Material and Class Cleanliness