5 replies to this topic

[JBruce]

Hi all, we are thinking of revising our current testing for EMP to reduce costs and allow us to test more in the higher risk areas. Just wondering your thoughts/ experience on having AOAC certified equipment being used to test the samples but the swabs being used (testing for enterobacteriaceae) are not AOAC certified if you see any issues? Will the auditor accept the results or would we still need to send samples occasionally to a lab for validation testing? Thank you for all your help and apologies if this is a repeated question.

[olenazh]

Hi Jessie; I recall we had couple of similar threads regarding this matter, and I'm pretty sure you'll be directed to them. Meanwhile, I can tell you that you'll still need to send samples to the accredited lab for validation testing (on a predetermined schedule - say, once a month or whatever you'll consider necessary)

[Charles.C]

Hi all, we are thinking of revising our current testing for EMP to reduce costs and allow us to test more in the higher risk areas. Just wondering your thoughts/ experience on having AOAC certified equipment being used to test the samples but the swabs being used (testing for enterobacteriaceae) are not AOAC certified if you see any issues? Will the auditor accept the results or would we still need to send samples occasionally to a lab for validation testing? Thank you for all your help and apologies if this is a repeated question.

 

How is the equipment AOAC certified ? Wan't aware that AOAC carry out such inspections ?

 

Are the swabs not purchased from an AOAC "approved" supplier ?

[PowderQM]

You could bundle samples together. It is possible to pool up to 5 samples from the same zone after you have established a baseline for each sampling point. In this way, you can reduce the number of analyzes while actually collecting more samples.

[JBruce]

How is the equipment AOAC certified ? Wan't aware that AOAC carry out such inspections ?

 

Are the swabs not purchased from an AOAC "approved" supplier ?

 

My apologies for not being clear on the equipment, the equipment has been AOAC performance tested but only for a different type of swab.

 

The supplier has quite a few products that are AOAC certified so you could look at them as being an "approved" supplier.

[Charles.C]

My apologies for not being clear on the equipment, the equipment has been AOAC performance tested but only for a different type of swab.

 

The supplier has quite a few products that are AOAC certified so you could look at them as being an "approved" supplier.

 

Thks for clarification.

 

I deduce you are referring to a specific commercial test kit/Procedure which is aoac approved for estimating Enterobacteriaceae.

 

Perhaps you could identify the actual AOAC Procedure which is being discussed ? (and link if possible).

 

Any additional required validations may relate to Procedural "variations"  consequent on the changing of swabs.