Food Nutrition and Safety Measurements Quality Assurance Program

Request for Participation – EXERCISE 3 NOW OPEN

Program Purpose

FNSQAP is designed to assist laboratories in the development and validation of new analytical 

methods, in improving the quality of their analytical measurements, and in supporting compliance 

with regulations enforced by the US FDA, USDA, and other international bodies.

Benefits

Participation in FNSQAP provides opportunities for laboratories to evaluate their current in-house 

method performance and make necessary improvements. NIST utilizes FNSQAP to determine any 

community wide analytical challenges and support improvement of measurements through 

appropriate reference materials and educational resources. Data collected via FNSQAP may also be 

used to assign values to NIST reference materials. Proof of participation in NIST QAPs may be 

adequate to demonstrate proficiency in some communities, but the use and distribution of each 

participant’s study results for this purpose will be at the discretion of the participant only.

Participation

Participation in FNSQAP is free of charge, although participants will be required to pay for the cost 

of sample shipment by providing NIST with a shipping account number using UPS, FedEx (including 

TNT), or DHL. Participants are responsible for all incurred shipping charges, including those that may 

result from shipments being returned to NIST because of customs clearance issues. In no cases are 

participants paid to participate in FNSQAP.

Timeline and Commitment

Registration is currently open and will close on June 30, 2023. Samples will be distributed by August 

2023. Laboratories may elect to participate in some or all studies (e.g., only nutritional elements and 

fat-soluble vitamins) or report only selected analytes (e.g., copper, but not magnesium and 

phosphorus), as applicable to the work done in their laboratories. Data entry will close in late 

September, upon which laboratories will receive a preliminary report and have an opportunity to 

review reported results. Preliminary certificates of participation will be issued in fall 2023, followed 

by publication of a final report and distribution of final participation certificates by spring 2024.

Study Design, Purpose, and Rationale

Available studies include nutritional elements (Cu, Mg, P) and vitamins (A, B12) in infant formulas

and contaminants (PFAS, pesticides) in foods. Samples have been selected to identify measurement 

challenges and pinpoint sources of bias, error, and variability via between-laboratory comparisons.

Publication of Results

Upon closure of data entry, laboratories will receive a preliminary report containing a summary of 

reported data, available NIST target values, and consensus results. Preliminary performance 

certificates will be available while NIST prepares a final report, which will be made publicly available.

Confidentiality

Published tables, figures, and reports are provided using randomized laboratory codes, with 

identities known only to NIST and individual laboratories. NIST will not knowingly reveal laboratory 

identities associated with study results.

To register, go to https://qa-hub.nist.gov

For questions, contact QAPHUB@nist.gov