Evaluation of a fungal collection as certified reference material producer and as a biological resource center

Abstract Considering the absence of standards for culture collections and more specifically for biological resource centers in the world, in addition to the absence of certified biological material in Brazil, this study aimed to evaluate a Fungal Collection from Fiocruz, as a producer of certified reference material and as Biological Resource Center (BRC). For this evaluation, a checklist based on the requirements of ABNT ISO GUIA34:2012 correlated with the ABNT NBR ISO/IEC17025:2005, was designed and applied. Complementing the implementation of the checklist, an internal audit was performed. An evaluation of this Collection as a BRC was also conducted following the requirements of the NIT-DICLA-061, the Brazilian internal standard from Inmetro, based on ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005, ABNT ISO GUIA 34:2012 and OECD Best Practice Guidelines for BRCs. This was the first time that the NIT DICLA-061 was applied in a culture collection during an internal audit. The assessments enabled the proposal for the adequacy of this Collection to assure the implementation of the management system for their future accreditation by Inmetro as a certified reference material producer as well as its future accreditation as a Biological Resource Center according to the NIT-DICLA-061.

Uncertainty measurement in the homogenization and sample reduction in the physical classification of rice and beans / Incerteza de medição na homogeneização e redução de amostra na classificação física de arroz e feijão

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to i) quantify the measurement uncertainty in the physical tests of rice and beans for a hypothetical defect, ii) verify whether homogenization and sample reduction in the physical classification tests of rice and beans is effective to reduce the measurement uncertainty of the process and iii) determine whether the increase in size of beans sample increases accuracy and reduces measurement uncertainty in a significant way. Hypothetical defects in rice and beans with different damage levels were simulated according to the testing methodology determined by the Normative Ruling of each product. The homogenization and sample reduction in the physical classification of rice and beans are not effective, transferring to the final test result a high measurement uncertainty. The sample size indicated by the Normative Ruling did not allow an appropriate homogenization and should be increased.

RESUMO: O trabalho teve como objetivo i) quantificar a incerteza de medição nos ensaios físicos de arroz e feijão para um defeito hipotético; ii) verificar se a homogeneização e redução da amostra nos ensaios de classificação física de arroz e feijão são eficazes para reduzir a incerteza do processo; iii) analisar se o aumento do tamanho da amostra de grãos de feijão aumenta a precisão e reduz a incerteza de medição de forma considerável. Defeitos hipotéticos em arroz e feijão com diferentes níveis de danos foram simulados de acordo com a metodologia de ensaio da Instrução Normativa de cada produto. A homogeneização e redução da amostra na classificação física de arroz e feijão não são eficazes, transferindo para o resultado final do ensaio uma elevada incerteza de medição. O tamanho da amostra indicado pela instrução normativa não permite uma adequada homogeneização e deveria ser aumentado.