Teddington, UK 2/1/17—LGC has acquired API Food Quality, a US-based accredited proficiency testing (PT) organization. API Food Quality customers include over one thousand food labs in 30 countries. Financial details were not provided. In connection with the purchase, LGC has formed the American Proficiency Institute, made up of API Food Quality and LGC’s existing US PT business. “We are delighted to be adding API Food Quality to our Standards division. It offers a highly complementary fit to our existing global PT capabilities, while creating a North American counterpart to our existing PT hub locations in Bury, England and Johannesburg, South Africa,” stated Euan O’Sullivan, managing director of LGC’s Standards Division. Daniel C. Edson, API Food Quality cofounder and president, will lead the new business.

Proficiency testing, or inter-laboratory comparison, is used to determine lab performance. API Food Quality provides chemistry and microbiology PT schemes for food, expanding LGC’s existing offerings in these areas. LGC’s previous PT acquisitions included Thistle QA in 2015 (see IBO 11/15/15) and Analytical Reference Materials International in 2012.