Joburg Market (JM) operates within the public sector and is seen as a national control point in the sale of fresh produce that passes through its gates. JM is the only national fresh produce market in the country that has an-house chemistry test laboratory. The laboratory plays a key role in monitoring the food safety compliance of agricultural pesticides used in the production of food crops destined for the local market through regular product testing, evaluation of test results and subsequent interventions with producers and the relevant government authorities.

JM Laboratory is SANAS accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standard for the analysis of pesticide residues on fruit and vegetables. JM Laboratory can currently test a wide range of fruit and vegetable products for pesticide residue except for avocadoes; and can perform multi-residue analysis for more than 100 pesticide chemicals (actives).

JM Laboratory resides within the Food Quality Assurance Department where samples are mainly drawn from the market trading floor by QA Inspectors as part of weekly routine sampling. Some samples are drawn directly from farms on an investigation basis for further laboratory analysis.

The JM Laboratory also receives samples from certain buyers and farmers for pesticide analysis – this is generally required to fulfil the requirements for food safety certification audit (e.g. GLOBALGAP, HACCP, FSSC 22000, etc.)

In addition other samples are submitted to third party accredited laboratories for specific microbiological and other contaminant testing that JM Laboratory is not equipped and accredited for.