EQA/PT for food, water and environmental microbiology
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Results of laboratory tests on food, water and environmental samples impact on people's health
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Reporting incorrect results may cause people to become ill
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Reporting incorrect results may have extremely expensive consequences
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Agency food and water EQA schemes aim to educate and emphasise the impact of incorrect results.
The Health Protection Agency recognises the importance of the role of food, water and environmental microbiology laboratories and provides a range of internationally renowned EQA/PT schemes
| Documents and downloads | Scheme descriptions (brochure) / Scheme Summary / Registration Form / Scheme Guide / Guide to scoring / Log10 Conversion Table / FAQs / Newsletter / Terms and Conditions / Steering Group Remit / Conference / Presentations / UKAS Certificate / CRM information |
Which is the right scheme for your laboratory?
Find out more about all our schemes
| Standard Scheme | Laboratories that routinely test for a range of food-borne pathogens and indicator organisms.
Participants are often private laboratories that test foods for clients in the food industry who may submit products routinely for microbial assessment, end product testing and customer complaints. |
| Extended Scheme | Laboratories investigating causes of food-poisoning and outbreaks of food-borne illness.
Participants are often public health laboratories. |
| Food Law Scheme |
Laboratories that examine foods for compliance with Regulation (EC) 2073/2005, amended by (EC)1441/2007. The scheme assesses participants' ability to test and interpret laboratory results in accordance with EU food safety and process hygiene criteria. |
| Shellfish Scheme |
Laboratories testing raw live bivalve molluscs from harvesting beds for classification or end product testing. Participants include all EU National Reference Laboratories responsible for testing live bivalve molluscs. |
| Non-Pathogen Scheme |
Laboratories on production sites that do not want to introduce pathogens. Participants are mainly laboratories that enumerate indicator and spoilage micro-organisms. |
| Pathogenic Vibrio Scheme | Laboratories examining food samples for Vibrio spp. |
| Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) Detection Scheme |
Laboratories that test food for Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) using a range of kits. Participants culture the Staphylococcus aureus from the sample vials then test for enterotoxin production. |
| Legionella Isolation Scheme |
Laboratories that examine waters for Legionella spp. The scheme includes samples containing a range of different serogroups of Legionella pneumophila, and Legionella spp. other than L.pneumophila. |
| Drinking Water Scheme | Laboratories that routinely monitor drinking water, examining for low levels of indicator organisms. |
| Surface Water Scheme | Laboratories that routinely monitor bathing beach, bathing pool and river, lake and stream waters for indicator organisms |
| Bespoke Schemes | Schemes designed to meet your own company requirements |
