A new sampling laboratory for testing agricultural crops has been established in Fót

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 05. 21. 11:11

The new, modern sampling laboratory and headquarters of the Mertcontrol group in Fót have been handed over. The new facility supports the production of quality, reliable food through the most modern technologies and expertise, thus strengthening the safety of the food chain not only in our country, but also in neighboring countries – emphasized Olga Beáta Felkai, Deputy State Secretary responsible for the food chain at the Ministry of Agriculture, at the official handover on Wednesday.

The Mertcontrol group, which looks back on more than 70 years of history, is one of the most innovative testing laboratories in Hungary, which performs high-quality quality and quantity controls through its own accredited sampling network. Its activities extend to the areas of agricultural crops, soils, fertilizers, the food industry, environmental protection, and the mineral oil and metal industries, thus contributing to the professional reliability and competitiveness of the region.

The National Food Chain Safety Office pays special attention to addressing the greatest food safety risks. Currently, in addition to animal diseases, special emphasis is being placed on mycotoxins, which have reappeared in the production chain due to climate change, the Deputy State Secretary emphasized. The Mertcontrol laboratory is also actively participating in this work, significantly strengthening the domestic food safety system.

In order to combat mycotoxins, the Mycotoxin Platform was established in October 2021, in which state, university, research and industrial actors work together to map the domestic occurrence of mycotoxins and reduce the population’s toxin intake. Ádám Tölgyesi, head of the laboratory at Mertcontrol Hungary Kft., is also actively participating in the work of the Platform, in close cooperation with experts from Nébih.