Having access to safe and nutritious food is essential. Meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, shellfish, etc., contain significant microbial flora and this can affect our health. Therefore, it is important to identify the microorganisms to maintain food safety but the microbial flora can also affect, if not controlled, the quality of food and its shelf life. Whether you are a manufacturer or user of microbiological test methods, you want to ensure that your methods are fully tested, validated and fit for use.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 16140:2003 for the validation of alternative (proprietary) microbiological methods has just been revised. The new multipart standard provides a specific protocol and guidelines for the validation of methods both proprietary (commercial) or not. Proprietary methods are generally cheaper to use, produce results faster than traditional culturing methods and are simpler to perform as they require fewer technical skills. What’s more, most are partly or completely automated, so easier to use in less experienced laboratories, such as factory and commercial laboratories and with less technical human resources.