title: Microbiological examination and proficiency testing in dairy laboratories.
abstract: This paper considers the main factors in the assessment of microbiological examination of food and discusses a few points related to validation of quantitative and qualitative microbiological methods. Within the scope of accredited methods, the author defines the terms such as conform reference, equivalence of reference method, and in-house method. The paper describes evaluation of a routine method with respect to the official method based on results obtained by automatic epifluorescent microscopy using the BactoScan 8000 instrument for determination of bacteriological quality of milk and provides general guidance for the establishment of a conversion relationship between the two methods. The paper gives an overview of the quality assurance aspects involved in the application of the routine method and concludes with an example of interlaboratory proficiency study for the epifluorescent microscopic method which is regularly applied in dairy laboratories.
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Domzale, Slovenia. slavica.golc@bfro.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Teger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D011786:Quality Control