The project QUALIMICRO - Implementation and Monitoring of Quality Systems in Embrapa's Microbial Collections aims to implement the corporate quality requirements in 21 collections of microorganisms from 18 research units of the Company located in several Brazilian states. The Project will guarantee the quality in the management of these collections and make them able to meet the requirements of the national and international market.

QUALIMICRO lasts four years (until 2020) and continues another project, executed in the period from 2012 to 2015, which mapped and diagnosed 17 collections of microorganisms from Embrapa and resulted in the elaboration of a Corporate Management Model for the Collections of Microorganisms of Embrapa- GESTCOL.

In this new phase, the corporate quality guidelines and requirements included in this Model will be implemented, based on the international quality standards: ABNT ISO GUIA 34, ABNT NBR ISO / IEC 17025: 2005 and OECD Best Practice Guidelines for Biological Resource Centers.

New collections

With QUALIMICRO, five new collections were incorporated from 2016: Embrapa Forests (Colombo, PR), Embrapa Roraima (Boa Vista, RR), Embrapa Soja (Londrina, PR) and Embrapa Clima Temperado (Pelotas, RS).
Compliance with these standards is essential for the collections to reach levels of excellence and meet national and international standards, biosafety regulations, accessibility and harmonization of procedures and processes.

Microbial collections have diverse applications in agricultural research and industry

Embrapa has invested in the formation of collections of microorganisms (fungi, bacteria and viruses) since its creation in 1973. Today, these collections are distributed throughout the National Territory in several research units of the Company and preserve microorganisms of diverse functionalities, including species Related to the biological control of pests, soil fertility, industrial interest and cause of diseases in animals and vegetables, among others.
The lack of a management standard in the organization and structuring of microbial collections can lead to the loss of microbial genetic resources, rendering them unviable for use in agriculture and industry. In addition, compliance with national and international quality standards is essential for Embrapa to conduct exchanges with public and private institutions.

Therefore, it is imperative to adapt the collections of microorganisms of Embrapa to the standards used by INMETRO and international bodies to attest the technical competence of laboratories holding microbial collections.

Biological resources centers, institutional collections and work collections

The QUALIMICRO Project will involve all categories of microbial collections: institutional, work, and biological resource centers (CRBs).

The main functions of CRBs are: to preserve and provide biological resources (with assured quality) for R & D and applications in the scientific, industrial, agribusiness, environment and health sectors; Develop R & D on biological resources maintained and conserve biodiversity. But to become a CRB, the collection must meet the accreditation standards of INMETRO and other agencies.

Institutional collections are those that meet various research and institutions and minimum requirements. These collections act as custodians and have responsible curators, and can perform practical activities of sample collection, isolation, identification, characterization, prospection, storage and documentation.

The work collections are those that meet one or more research projects and minimum requirements. Generally, they are linked to specific projects and to one or more institutional collections and have responsible researchers, and can perform practical activities of sample collection, isolation, identification, characterization, prospection, storage and documentation.
Brazil is committed to implementing a network of CRBs, being that of health in Fiocruz, the environment in Unicamp and agribusiness in Embrapa.

Embrapa has CRBs in four Units: Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Soy, Agrobiology and Environment.

QUALIMICRO: harmonization of collections according to international quality standards

The objectives of the QUALIMICRO Project are: to structure and organize Embrapa microorganism collections according to a unique quality standard, which was established in the corporate management model, which covers the following requirements: laws applicable to microbial genetic resources, organizational structure, sustainability, processes Management, criteria for the storage of biological material, documents, records, personnel, infrastructure, corporate quality requirements, bio-services, services and partnerships.