Development of reference materials for microbiological analysis

The reliability of reference materials (RMs) depends on properties such as fitness, robustness, commutability, stability and homogeneity. The development of RMs for microbiological analysis is especially challenged through questions around the stabilisation and recovery of viable cells, the dispersi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Accreditation and quality assurance 2007-04, Vol.12 (3-4), p.134-138
Main Authors: PHILIPP, Wolfgang J, VAN IWAARDEN, Pierre, SCHIMMEL, Heinz, MEEUS, Nele, KOLLMORGEN, Nadine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical chemistry
Certification
Chemistry
E coli
Enumeration
Exact sciences and technology
Food contamination & poisoning
Homogeneity
Hygiene
Laboratories
Legislation
Listeria
Marketing
Methods
Microbiology
Milk
Nucleic acids
Organisms
Pathogens
Quality control
Reference materials
Reliability analysis
Salmonella
Stability analysis
Water analysis
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Summary:The reliability of reference materials (RMs) depends on properties such as fitness, robustness, commutability, stability and homogeneity. The development of RMs for microbiological analysis is especially challenged through questions around the stabilisation and recovery of viable cells, the dispersion of precise numbers of cells, matrix effects and, when using molecular techniques, the presence of nucleic acids (e.g. DNA) of dead and live target organisms. However, RMs are indispensable tools for quality control in microbiological analysis. The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), as part of the European Commission, concentrates its efforts on the development of RMs to support the development, implementation and monitoring of EU legislation. A special focus is given to highly precise RMs for presence/absence and enumeration tests in microbiological food and water analysis. Another group of new RMs certified by the IRMM comprise DNA-based materials to control the identity of micro-organisms in qualitative assays. All of these activities serve to improve quality control in microbiological analysis.
ISSN:0949-1775
1432-0517
DOI:10.1007/s00769-006-0244-3