Circular No.

: EIAC/LB/01/2021
DATE: 10 February 2021

Withdrawal of CCFRA Manual Reference

TO: All Accredited Testing Laboratories

Greetings from Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC)

As the CCFRA manual reference for microbiology and chemistry food testing is withdrawn, and starting
from the date of this circular, please be informed of the following:

1. EIAC will not conduct any initial assessments or accept any applications for extension of scope
for any test method using CCFRA manual as a reference.
2. All accredited laboratories that using CCFRA, as a reference for any of its accredited test
methods shall submit a transitional plan for EIAC before 30 April 2021 including its approved
alternative methods or references e.g. ISO methods.
3. EIAC team during their routine assessment visits will raise a non-conformity if the lab is still
using CCFRA manual as a reference for any of its accredited test methods.
4. Lab could use CCFRA manual as a reference only subject to :
- Providing an accepted justification.
- Using it as an in house method where all requirements of ISO17025:2017 (Clause 7.2.2)
and EIAC related requirements shall apply. In microbiology method, it is recommended to
refer to ISO 16140-4.
5. Accreditation for test methods using CCFRA manual as a reference without accepted
justification will be suspended by EIAC after 1st January 2022.

If you have any queries in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Majeda Al Harmoodi
Majeda.AlHarmoodi@eiac.gov.ae / 04 872 2607

We wish you all the best.

Alia Ismail AlMarzouqi

Director of Laboratory Accreditation Department