Regulatory Services

NSI Testing

Testing Services are provided by the NSI Food Laboratory which houses the Marine Biotoxins and Microbiology Laboratories in Walvis Bay. Testing services are provided for the Marine Biotoxins in Shellfish, and Microbiological tests for food (mainly fish), water and swabs.

The Food Laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

The scope of the accreditation covers the following:

 Chemical Analysis

 In fresh and frozen shellfish

• TM/B/01  Determination of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) toxicity by HPLC
• TM/B/02 Determination of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxicity by Mouse Bioassay
• TM/B/03 Determination of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxicity by Mouse Bioassay

 Microbiological analysis

 In frozen and chilled fish

• TM/M/01 Enumeration of Total viable colony count
• TM/M/02 Detection and enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae

 In all water samples

• TM/M/14 (Pour plate) Total Viable Colony Count

 In potable water, filter seawater and effluent/waste water

• TM/M/15  (Membrane Filtration) Total Coliform count
• TM/M/16 (Membrane Filtration) Faecal coliform and E.coli
• TM/M/17 (Membrane Filtration) Enumeration of Faecal streptococci

 The laboratory offers testing for a number of other parameters not listed above which are in the process of being added to the accreditation scope.    

 NSI Inspection
 

The NSI Inspectorate carries out the following activities:

 Inspection & Surveillance

 Inspection and surveillance services cover the inspection of factories and fishing vessels and evaluation of food processing systems for compliance to statutory requirements.

 Sampling and Product Inspection

 Sampling as well as physical and sensory examination of raw material and final product (mainly frozen, chilled and canned fishery products as well as canned meat) and issue complying consignments with health guarantees

 The NSI Fishery Inspectorate facilities in Walvis Bay and Windhoek are accredited to ISO/IEC 17020:1998 - General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection. The scope of the accreditation covers the following:

•  VC8017 GN No. R979 - 4 July 2003 - Compulsory specification for frozen fish, frozen marine mollusks and frozen products derived therefrom,
• 570 Proc 013 - 30 Setember 2010 - Procedure for inspection of chilled fish for export,
• VC8014 GN No. R790 - 9 July 2004 - Compulsory specification for the manufacture, production, processing and treatment of canned marine mollusks, canned fish and canned crustaceans, and;
• VC8019 GN No. R791 - 9 July 2004 - Compulsory specification for the manufacture, production, processing and treatment of canned meat products.

The NSI Fishery Inspectorate also administers the shellfish Sanitation Monitoring Programme.

  
Metrology
 

About Metrology

Metrology (Measurement Science and Technology) is the science and practice of precision measurements. The impetus of facilitating world trade and the associated need to eliminate technical barriers to trade is leading to a greater awareness worldwide of the role that measurement plays in underpinning activities in all areas of science and technology. It is now recognized that metrology provides a fundamental basis not only for the physical sciences and engineering, but also for chemistry, the biological sciences and relatedareas such as the environment, medicine, agriculture and food.

 Metrology constitutes an astonishingly high percentage of gross national product in industrialized countries (6% in the UK).

 NSI Metrology

The NSI Metrology Division comprises two major units

 1. SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL METROLOGY

Scientific Metrology deals with the organisation and development of national measurement standards and their maintenance.

Industrial Metrology has to ensure the adequate functioning of measurement instruments used in industry, in production and testing processes, for ensuring quality of life for citizens and for academic research.

 The Scientific and Industrial Metrology section calibrates measuring equipment and instruments for customers in order to ensure accuracy, traceability and international recognition of the results for the benefit of the national economy and the avoidance of Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs).

Primary metrology fields of focus are:

• Mass & Volume: Balances, Scales, Weights & Pipettes, Measuring Cylinders, Burettes (Lab Graduated Glassware), Moisture Testers etc.
• Dimensional: Micrometers, vernier calipers, Gauge Blocks, Steel Rules, Dial Test Indicators, Feeler Gauges etc.
• Electrical: Calibrators, Multimeters, Ammeters, Voltmeters, Power Supplies, Frequency Counters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, Tachometers etc.
• Temperature: Calibrators, Thermocouples, RTDs, Thermometers, Temperature indicators etc.
• Chemical: Conductivity, pH & TDS Meters, etc.

 Details of the scope, range and accuracy of calibration services are available upon request.

The NSI Metrology Laboratory is established to serve as the National Metrology Institute (NMI) for Namibia. International recognition of the scientific and Industrial metrological competence of the NSI is established through peer reviews, inter-laboratory comparisons with NMIs from the sub-regional metrology organisations (sRMO), regional metrology organisations (RMOs) and reference standards calibrated by a Metrology Institute e.g the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA), which is a member of the Meter Convention and a signatory to the International Committee of Weights and Measures Mutual Recognition Agreement (CIPM MRA).

 2. LEGAL METROLOGY

Legal metrology is concerned with measurements that influence the transparency of economic transactions. Consumers are protected and assured of correct measurement results used in official and commercial transactions. The Legal Metrology Section offers two major services:

 2.1 Verification of prescribed measuring instruments

Verification is a preventive measure by which instruments are examined to see if they comply with the requirements of technical regulations, are of an approved model and are within the prescribed permissible error limits, under working conditions, throughout the whole period of use.

 One of the mandates of the NSI Legal Metrology Division is to provide consumers with peace of mind and confidence in the knowledge that accurate measuring instruments have been used in the measurement of the goods they have purchased.

2.2 Inspection of pre-packages and labelling

Pre-packages are controlled in order to provide buyers with a guarantee that they are in fact receiving the identified product in the quantity that is indicated on the package within certain limits that are set for the product and the type of packaging.

Labelling regulations for prepackaged products require that the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer or retailer be specified conspicuously.

Legal metrology competence of the NSI is established through implementation of systems based on International Organisation for Legal Metrology (OIML) and SADC Cooperation in Legal Metrology (SADCMEL) recommendations and participation in Technical Committees of the sub-regional and regional legal metrology organisations.