Proficiency Testing Programmes
Proficiency testing (PT) is a valuable tool for the evaluation of the performance of testing laboratories. In general, PT disseminates the teacher-policeman dual role of assisting participating laboratories in demonstrating technical competence and identifying problems and opportunities for self-improvement. In fact, participation in PT programmes has been taken as one of the mandatory requirements for laboratory accreditation. Since 1987, Government Laboratory (GL) has organized PT programmes under the scope of food, environment, commodity products, pharmaceuticals and Chinese medicine testing.
As an initiative to honour our commitments as the reference laboratory for chemical measurements in Hong Kong and in collaboration with the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification in providing support to the testing and certification industry, GL will continue to organise PT programmes when needs arise.
Pharmaceutical samples
GL was accredited as a proficiency testing scheme provider according to requirements of the international standards ISO/IEC 17043:2010. The PT programmes previously organized and those planned are summarized in the attached table for reference.
Accreditation Certificate
(Click to magnify)
| Programme | No. of Participants | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Medicine Testing—Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 22-04) |
11 | Nov 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Salicylic Acid in Food (GLHK PT 23-03) |
9 | Nov 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Trace Elements in Natural Water (APEC PT 2022) |
64 | May 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 23-02) |
11 | Apr 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 23-01) |
10 | Apr 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Inorganic Arsenic in Aquatic Product (GLHK PT 22-03) |
7 | Apr 2023 |
| Food Safety Testing—Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 22-02) |
11 | Apr 2022 |
| Food Safety Testing—boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 22-01) |
9 | Apr 2022 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing—Chemical Markers in Chinese Medicinal Oil (GLHK PT 21-05) |
10 | May 2022 |
| Food Safety Testing – Benzoic Acid in Fish Sauce (APAC T113) |
41 | Nov 2022 |
| Food Safety Testing – Benzoic Acid in Fish Sauce (GLHK PT 21-04) |
9 | Jul 2022 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 21-03) |
11 | Dec 2021 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 21-02) |
9 | Apr 2021 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 21-01) |
11 | Apr 2021 |
| Food Safety Testing – Inorganic Arsenic in Aquatic Product (GLHK PT 20-03) |
8 | Apr 2021 |
| Food Safety Testing – Toxic Metal/Metalloid Species in Powdered Rice (APLAC T110) |
63 | Jul 2020 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 20-02) |
10 | May 2020 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 20-01) |
10 | May 2020 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Chemical Markers in Chinese Medicinal Oil (GLHK PT 19-03) |
12 | Apr 2020 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 18-04) |
12 | Oct 2019 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Organochlorine pesticides in ginseng root (APLAC T106) |
51 | Jul 2019 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 19-02) |
10 | Jun 2019 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 19-01) |
10 | May 2019 |
| Food Safety Testing – Inorganic Arsenic in Aquatic Product (GLHK PT 18-03) |
9 | Feb 2019 |
| Food Safety Testing – Elements in Food Supplement (APLAC T107) |
52 | Sep 2018 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 18-02) |
8 | May 2018 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 18-01) |
9 | May 2018 |
| Forensic Science Testing – Chinese Handwriting and Signature Examination (GLHK PT 17-04) |
31 | May 2018 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 17-03) |
14 | Jan 2018 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 17-02) |
7 | Jun 2017 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 17-01) |
10 | May 2017 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 15-03) |
14 | Jan 2017 |
| Food Safety Testing – Pesticides in Fruit Juice (APLAC T102) |
71 | Dec 2016 |
| Forensic Science Testing – Stamp Impressions Examination (GLHK PT 16-03) |
24 | Nov 2016 |
| Food Safety Testing – Determination of Elements (Calcium and Cadmium) in Drinking Water (APLAC T095) |
99 | Jul 2016 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 16-02) |
9 | Jun 2016 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 16-01) |
10 | May 2016 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 15-02) |
10 | Aug 2015 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Assay of Chinese Materia Medica (GLHK PT 14-03) |
14 | Jun 2015 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 15-01) |
8 | Mar 2015 |
| Forensic Science Testing – Chinese Handwriting and Signature Examination (GLHK PT 14-01) |
23 | Aug 2014 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 14-02) |
6 | Jul 2014 |
| Food Safety Testing – Measurement of Radioactive Contaminants in Food (GLHK PT 13-04) |
19 | Jun 2014 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric Acid in Food (GLHK PT 13-09) |
8 | Feb 2014 |
| Food Safety Testing – Essential and toxic elements in seafood (APMP PT 11-01) |
14 | Sep 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Pesticides in tea (APMP PT 11-02) |
20 | Sep 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Propionic Acid in Flour Confectionery (GLHK PT 13-03) |
7 | Aug 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Essential and trace elements in seafood (APLAC T082) |
71 | Aug 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Organochlorine pesticides in green tea (APLAC T081) |
65 | Oct 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Boric acid in Food (GLHK PT 12-04) |
8 | Feb 2013 |
| Food Safety Testing – Measurement of Radioactive Contaminants in Food (GLHK 1201) |
19 | Oct 2012 |
| Food Safety Testing – Aflatoxin B1 in peanut oil (GLHK 1101) |
14 | Dec 2011 |
| Food Safety Testing – 137Cs in Milk Powder (GL/2011/PT-5) |
5 | Jul 2011 |
| Food Safety Testing – Essential and trace elements in bovine liver (APLAC T077) |
38 | Jun 2011 |
| Environmental Testing – PAH in sediment (APLAC T078) |
69 | Apr 2011 |
| Forensic Science Testing – Ketamine in hair (GLHK 1001) |
10 | Apr 2011 |
| Food Safety Testing – Heavy metals in crustacean seafood (GLHK 1002) |
68 | Oct 2010 |
| Food Safety Testing – Organochlorine pesticides in green tea (HKGL 0903) |
8 | Mar 2010 |
| Food Safety Testing – Sudan dyes in chilli powder (HKGL 0904) |
11 | Jan 2010 |
| Food Safety Testing – Melamine in milk (APLAC T071) |
76 | Nov 2009 |
| Food Safety Testing – Melamine in fish feed (APLAC T069) |
52 | Aug 2009 |
| Environmental Testing – Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment (APLAC T068) |
58 | May 2009 |
| Food Safety Testing – Melamine in milk (HKGL 0803) |
14 | Nov 2008 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Heavy metal in herb (APLAC T065) |
109 | Oct 2008 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Organochlorine pesticides in ginseng root (APLAC T059) |
55 | Jun 2008 |
| Food Safety Testing – Malachite green & leuco malachite green in eel (APLAC T058) |
48 | Jan 2008 |
| Food Safety Testing – Toxic elements in seawater shrimp (APLAC T057) |
102 | Jul 2007 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Organochlorine pesticide residues in herbal medicine (APLAC T049) |
70 | May 2006 |
| Commodity Testing – Antimony, barium, cadmium, chromium & lead in paints (APLAC T039) |
71 | Mar 2006 |
| Chinese Medicine Testing – Cadmium & lead in herbal medicine (APLAC T043) |
38 | Nov 2005 |
| Food Safety Testing – Detection of genetically modified papaya line 55 1 | 5 | Mar 2005 |
| Drug Testing – Chlorpheniramine & pseudoephedrine in cough syrup (APLAC T038) |
32 | May 2004 |
| Toy Safety Testing – Fabric flammability test (APLAC T016) |
52 | Jun 2000 |
| Commodity Testing – Barium, cadmium, chromium & lead in paint (APLAC T013) |
47 | Mar 1999 |
| Commodity Testing – Azo dyes in leather product | 14 | Oct 1997 |
| Food Safety Testing – Benzoic acid in oyster sauce (APLAC T004) |
134 | Jun 1997 |
| Environment Testing – Point counting method for asbestos containing materials | 5 | Jan 1996 |
| Commodity Testing – Gold assay | 25 | Mar 1995 |
| Environmental Testing – Metals in water | 10 | Dec 1993 |
| Commodity Testing – Barium, cadmium, chromium & lead in paint | 24 | Jul 1990 |
| Commodity Testing – Total lead in paint | 14 | Mar 1987 |