The food safety watchdog and Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science) have spent years developing and refining LC-MS (Liquid Chromatographic Mass Spectrometric) and HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) methods.
“This is a significant milestone in meeting the UK’s commitment to reduce the burden of animal testing and has been achieved after years of FSA-funded research,” said the body's chief scientist Andrew Wadge.
Food safety head at Cefas, David Lees, said the laboratory was one of the world’s first to have implemented non-animal methods for government algal toxin testing programmes.
The FSA said it has informed local authorities of the final phase of changes to its monitoring programme.
