The Institute of Agrifood Quality Standards and Testing Technology at the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS), established in April 2006, is dedicated to conducting research and testing in areas related to the quality and safety of agricultural products, agricultural inputs, and the environment of origin. The institute’s facilities cover a total area of approximately 7,000 square meters, with an additional 1,024 square meter modern greenhouse.
The institute employs 121 individuals and focuses on key research areas such as risk assessment, prevention, and control technologies related to chemical contaminants, pathogenic microorganisms, mycotoxins, and the nutritional quality of agricultural products. The institute houses five ministerial-level platforms, including the Key Laboratory of Food Quality, Safety, and Nutrition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, which is jointly managed with the province. Other platforms include the Risk Assessment Laboratory of Agricultural Products Quality and Safety, the Product Quality Supervision and Testing Center for Edible Mushroom Products, and the Plant Variety Testing (Shanghai) Sub-center, among others. The institute also manages three municipal-level platforms: the Shanghai Agricultural Products Quality Safety Engineering Technology Research Center, the Shanghai Feed Quality Supervision and Inspection Station, and the Shanghai Agricultural Products Quality and Safety Evaluation Professional and Technical Service Platform.
Based in Shanghai, the institute plays a key role in ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products in the Yangtze River Delta region. It has been actively involved in food safety initiatives, including those during the World Expo, the World Swimming Championships, and in responses to incidents such as the melamine contamination in Sanlu milk powder, the dioxin issue with hairy crabs, and the Fipronil-poisoned egg scandal.
To establish itself as an internationally connected, domestically leading research institute, the institute has engaged in extensive cooperation and exchange efforts. It has signed agreements with 11 institutions across the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and other countries, to conduct joint research and promote technological advancements. Furthermore, it has established the Joint Research Center for Food Safety and the International Training Laboratory, alongside a collaborative laboratory with Shimadzu Enterprise Management Co. at Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
More information: https://www.saas.sh.cn/zb.
