(a) In addition to the impartiality and conflict of interest requirements in § 1.1138(a)(1), a LAAF-accredited laboratory must, subject to the exceptions in paragraph (b) of this section, prohibit the LAAF-accredited laboratory's employees, contractors, and agents involved in food testing under this subpart and related activities from accepting any money, gift, gratuity, or other item of value from the owner or consignee of the food that is being tested or will be tested by the LAAF-accredited laboratory.

(b) The prohibited items of value in paragraph (a) of this section do not include:

(1) Payment of fees for food testing under this subpart and related services;

(2) Reimbursement of direct costs associated with the food testing by the LAAF-accredited laboratory; and

(3) With respect to a LAAF-accredited laboratory that is owned by the owner or consignee of the food that is or will be tested, payment of the officer's, employee's, contractor's, or agent's compensation in the normal course of business.

(c) The LAAF-accredited laboratory must require the owner's or consignee's payment to the LAAF-accredited laboratory of fees for food testing services and reimbursement of direct costs associated with food testing to be independent of the outcome of the test results.