Guidance

Instructions for completing the FSA data collection spreadsheet

Published 17 July 2023

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

1. Introduction

The FSA data collection spreadsheet (Opens in a new window)is an Excel file that can be used to compile and report contaminants and additive analytical data.

This document should be consulted for a detailed explanation on reporting, particularly in relation to certain contaminants and additives.

2. Instructions for completion

Open the file to view where you insert all the data to send to FSA.  The column headings cover all the mandatory data elements that you need to complete plus some other elements that should be reported.  As a quick reference guide, the column headings of mandatory data fields are black and optional field headings are coloured white. There is one field heading coloured green ‘resId’ which is automatically completed by template from information provided in ‘sampId’ and ‘paramCode’. 

Figure 1: Data input sheet showing column headings

  To report your data to FSA, you report a code. Different codes are linked to different data elements. For example, if you want to report Cadmium, the code is ‘RF-00000150-CHE’. 

In the ‘FSA Data Collection Spreadsheet’ template we have embedded many of the codes to be reported for contaminants in drop down lists under each column heading. The descriptions and the codes that correspond to them are described in this document. You can also view these by placing your cursor on the column headings (only for those data elements where there are only a small number of coders available to report). The mandatory data elements you will need to code:  the food sampled (sampMatCode –from the EFSA Foodex2 catalogue) and the coded description of substance (paramCode).  

2.1 1. Sampling programme identification code (progId)  

(Column A - Mandatory – free text).  Group together samples taken under a specific programme, by giving a code to the grouped samples. The code is defined by the data provider. Examples could be: 

• ‘Food_CHEM_2018’ 
• ‘XYZ_2018_Flour’ where XYZ could be the name of the organisation reporting the data and flour is the product

2.2 2. Programme Legal Reference (progLegalRef) 

(Columns B and C – Mandatory – text selection). The description of the reportable legal references, if applicable, can be viewed in column C ‘Select_progLegalRef’.  Make your selection from the drop-down list in Column C and fill in the corresponding code from the notes in Column B.

Figure 2: Selection of ‘progLegalRef’

2.3 3. Sampling strategy (sampStrategy) 

(Column D – Mandatory – code selection from drop down list). The list of codes/descriptions available are given in Figure 3.  

Figure 3 – List of sampling strategy codes

Code	Description
ST10A	Objective sampling
ST20A	Selective sampling
ST30A	Suspect sampling
ST40A	Convenient sampling
ST90A	Other

2.4 4. Programme type (progType) 

(Column E – Mandatory – code selection). Indicate the sampling programme. The list of codes/descriptions available are given in Figure 4.  

Figure 4 – List of programme type codes  

Code	Description
K005A	Official (National) programme
K010A	Diet study
K012A	Industry/ private programme
K013A	Survey
K019A	Increased control programme on imported food
K028A	Survey - national survey
K029A	Unspecified
K033A	RASFF alert notification

2.5 5. Sampler (sampler) 

(Column F –Mandatory-code selection). Report the person/persons responsible for taking the sample; The codes/descriptions available, are provided in Figure 5.  

Figure 5 -List of sampler codes 

Code	Description
CX01A	Industry sampling
CX02A	Official sampling
CX03A	Official and industry sampling
CX04A	HACCP and own check
CX05A	Private sampling
CX99A	Not applicable

2.6 6. Sample point (sampPoint) 

(Column G and H – Mandatory – text selection). To report the point in the food chain where the sample was taken, select from the text list in column H ‘samplingPoint’, and fill in the corresponding code from the notes in Column G ‘sampPoint’ as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Selection of the sampling point

2.7 7. Sample taken identification code (sampId) 

(Column I –Mandatory – Free text). Each sample should have an identification code the data provider creates as a reference for the sample; maximum length of text/numbers is 100.

2.8 8. Sample Country (sampCountry) 

(Column J – Mandatory – code selection). Report the country where the sample was taken from the drop-down list. The codes and names of countries are provided in the notes within the column which can be accessed by clicking on the purple flag in the corner of the column header.

2.9 9. Sample year (sampY), sample month (sampM) and sample day (sampD) 

(Columns K, L, M –Mandatory – numerical fields) For a sample taken on 21 May 2020 the date should be reported as follows. 

Figure 7 – Example of reporting sample year, month and day

sampY	2020
sampM	5
sampD	21

2.10 10. Coded description of the food for the sample taken (sampMatCode) 

(Column N – Mandatory- code selection).  

2.11 11. Country of origin of the sample taken (origCountry) 

(Column O – Mandatory- code selection). Report here the country of origin of the sample taken – see instruction 8.

2.12 12. Area of origin for fisheries and aquaculture activities code of the sample taken (origFishAreaCode) 

(Column P and Q -Optional – text selection). For fish, seafood and other marine products the FAO fishing area should be reported. Choose from the text selection field in column Q ‘Select_origfishareacode’ which contains the full list of reportable FAO fishing areas and and fill in the corresponding code from the notes in column P ‘origFishArea’ as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8: Fish area text selection

2.13 13. Year of analysis (analysisY) 

(Column R – Mandatory – numerical selection). Report the year of analysis using the year format, for example ‘2020’ 

2.14 14. Identification code of the laboratory (labId) 

(Column S – Mandatory –free text) A code should be reported to identify the laboratory reporting the results. The data provider should create the code. 

2.15 15. Laboratory accreditation (labAccred) 

(Column T – Mandatory – code selection). Report information on the accreditation of the laboratories that performed the analysis. The list of descriptions and the codes are given in Figure 9. 

Figure 9 – Codes for Laboratory Accreditation

Code	Description
L001A	Accredited
L002A	Third party assessment
L003A	None

2.16 16. Laboratory country (labCountry) 

(Column U – Mandatory –code selection). Report here the country where the laboratory analysis was performed– see instruction 8 

2.17 17. Type of parameter (paramType) 

(Column V – Mandatory – code selection). This element defines/classifies the parameter (substance) reported based on the following definitions. 

Figure 10 – paramTypes reportable 

Code	Description	paramType definitions
P001A	Individual	The reported analytical result refers to one single compound.
P002A	Part of a sum	The sample has been analysed for different related compounds, but they are reported individually (e.g., dioxins congeners, ergot alkaloids, aflatoxins).
P004A	Sum based on subset	The reported analytical result refers to the sum of some related compounds (e.g., dioxins congeners, ergot alkaloids).
P005A	Full legal residue definition analysed	This term is used mainly for residue monitoring data collection

2.18 18. Code description of parameter (paramCode) 

(Column W – Mandatory – code selection). Insert only the code. For example, to report results for Ochratoxin A insert only: RF-00000148-TOX 

2.19 19. Analytical method identification (anMethRefId) 

(Column X-Mandatory –free text) Using not more than 50 characters, provide a code to identify an analytical method used within the laboratory. For example, if laboratory undertakes a GC-MS analysis for Lead in Honey the code could be ‘GC-MSHoney’ 

2.20 20. Analytical method type (AnMethType)  

(Column Y – Mandatory –code selection). Only the code ‘AT08A’ for ‘confirmation’ is reportable. 

2.21 21. Analytical method code (anMethCode) 

(Columns Z and AA –Mandatory – code selection). In column AA you will find a list of the most reported analytical methods for contaminants.  Select the analytical method from the drop-down list in ‘Select_anMethCode’ and fill in the corresponding code from the notes in column Z. – see Figure 11.  

Some methods do not have corresponding codes. Please fill in “NA” in Column Z for these.

Figure 11 – Selecting the analytical method code

2.22 22. Result identification code (resId) 

(Column AB –Mandatory – text). Each result should have a unique result identification code which is created automatically in this field by concatenating the code for ‘sampId’ (column I) and ‘paramCode’ (column W). 

2.23 23. Accreditation procedure for the analytical method (accredProc) 

(Column AC-Mandatory –code selection). Report the accreditation/validation code used in the analytical method from the list in Figure 12. 

Figure 12 – Accreditation procedure codes and descriptions

Code	Description
V001A	Accredited according to ISO/IEC17025
V004A	Other third-party quality assessment procedure
V005A	Internally validated
V999A	Not validated

2.24 24. Result unit (resUnit) 

(Columns AD and AE – Mandatory- text selection).  Use the ‘Select_resUnit’ list in column AE to select from the drop-down list and fill in the corresponding code from the notes in column AD (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Selecting the unit for the result

2.25 25. Result LOD (resLOD) 

(Column AF – Optional – numerical). Report the Limit of Detection for the method expressed in the unit that has been specified in ‘resUnit’, the result unit. However, when resTypel =’LOD’ then it is MANDATORY to report the resLOD (and NOT the resVal). 

2.26 26. Result LOQ (resLOQ) 

(Column AG – Mandatory – numerical) Report the limit of quantification expressed in the unit that has been specified in ‘resUnit’, the result unit. 

2.27 27. Result value (resVal) 

(Column AH- Optional-numerical) The result of the analytical measure expressed in the unit specified by the result unit. However, when resType=’VAL’ then it is MANDATORY to report the resVal. 

2.28 28. Result value recovery rate (resValRec) and Result value corrected for recovery (resValRecCorr) 

(Columns AI and AJ –Optional –numerical). For ‘resValRec this is the recovery value associated with the concentration measurement expressed as a percentage (%). i.e., report 100 for 100 %.  If the result value has been corrected recovery, indicate ‘Y’ for Yes or ‘N’ for No in ‘resValRecCorr’. 

If neither resValRec nor resValRecCorr are reported, the result expressed is considered as 100%  

2.29 29. Expression of result percentage (exprResPerc) and Expression of result type (exprResType) 

(Columns AK and AL– Optional –code selection). ‘exprResPerc’ can be used to report the percentage of a measured specific matrix component (for example fat or moisture component of original sample) If reported, select the code from the list in Figure 14 for ‘exprResType’.

Figure 14 – Codes for reporting the expression of result type 

Code	Description
B001A	Whole weight
B002A	Dry matter
B003A	Fat weight
B004A	88% dry matter
B005A	40% dry matter
B006A	100% vol. alcohol
B007A	Reconstituted product

2.30 30. Type of result (resType) 

(Column AN–Mandatory – code selection). Report the code for the type of analytical result obtained for a substance (Figure 15). 

Figure 15 – Type of result 

Code	Description
LOD	Non-Detected Value (<LOD)
LOQ	Non-Quantified Value (<LOQ)
VAL	Numerical Value

2.31 31. Evaluation of the result (resEval) 

(Column AO – Mandatory – code selection). Used to report the judgement as to whether the result obtained is considered as exceeding any legal limit that is applicable to the sample (Figure 16). If you are unsure, it is sufficient to report J029A not evaluated. 

Figure 16 – Result evaluation 

Code	Description
J002A	less than or equal to maximum permissible quantities
J003A	greater than maximum permissible quantities
J029A	Result not evaluated
J031A	Compliant due to measurement uncertainty

2.32 32. Evaluation comment (evalInfo.com) 

(Column AP –Optional-free text). Provide further information on the evaluation if needed. 

2.33 33. Amendment type (amType) 

Column AQ - Use only in the event of amending/deleting records. 

Once complete, please save the spreadsheet with the name of the organisation reporting the data and email to fsacallsforevidence@food.gov.uk