Food News

A firm commitment to official controls and analytical traceability in the agri-food chain

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Spanish Royal Decree 562/2025 came into force on July 3rd, a landmark regulation of controls and other official activities in the agri-food chain and related sectors. 

 

This new provision not only updates the national legal framework to align it with Regulation (EU) 2017/625, but also decisively strengthens the role of accredited laboratories as key players in ensuring food safety and quality. One of the main achievements of Spanish Royal Decree 562/2025 is regulatory consolidation: it consolidates and simplifies a set of disparate regulations that until now complicated the application and supervision of official controls.

 

One of the most significant new developments is the requirement that laboratories involved in official controls be accredited under the UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. In this scenario, accredited analysis ceases to be an option and becomes a key requirement, and laboratories like AGROLAB are positioning themselves as strategic allies of the agri-food sector. With an international network and solid experience in the agri-food sector, AGROLAB provides:

 

  • Technical rigor, applying validated methods under accreditation
  • Legal certainty, guaranteeing full traceability of analytical data
  • Responsiveness, with an agile structure to address everything from routine controls to urgent needs
  • And above all, confidence for operators and authorities, thanks to the recognition of its analyses in official procedures

 

Although it may initially be interpreted as an additional regulatory burden, this Royal Decree represents an opportunity to strengthen the quality and reputation of the Spanish agri-food sector. Adopting an analytical strategy based on accredited laboratories allows operators to:

 

  • Minimize the risk of non-conformities or sanctions
  • Demonstrate transparency to distributors, exporters, and consumers
  • Strengthen their traceability and internal control systems
  • and differentiate themselves as agents committed to excellence and safety

 

In a chain as complex as the food industry, where risks translate into economic, legal, and reputational costs, having an accredited laboratory is not just about compliance: it is about protecting the value of the entire chain.

 

Author: Dra. Isabel Gómez, AGROLAb Iberica