Tag: Neogen

Certification for Neogen’s Soleris Non-Fermenting Total Viable Count (NF-TVC)

In September, MicroVal granted certification for Non-Fermenting Total Viable Count (NF-TVC). NF-TVC is a series of Soleris manufactured by Neogen. NF-TVC detects total viable count at a threshold of 10 cfu per gram across a wide variety of food products.

The NF-TVC vial, containing 9 mL of broth, is designed for dilute-to-specification monitoring in diverse food matrices. As microorganisms grow in the medium, the carbon dioxide produced diffuses through a membrane into a soft agar plug with a dye indicator, resulting in a color change that is analyzed by the Soleris® instrument.

The detection time correlates with the contamination level, allowing for quicker results with higher levels of contamination. This validation aims to establish a rapid screening method for increased throughput in monitoring various food products, thus reducing both analysis time and time to results.

Campden BRI conducted the validation study in accordance with ISO 16140-2:2016, using ISO 4833-1:2013 as a reference method. The study encompasses a broad range of food categories, including dairy, fishery products (raw and ready-to-cook), fresh and processed produce, multicomponent foods, and meat and poultry products (raw and ready-to-cook).

The certificate and the detailed summary report, number 2022LR113, are available on our website.

Three One Plate certificates issued

MicroVal has approved issuing three certificates for One Plate by Neogen Cooperation. Campden BRI has carried out these validation studies of this alternative method based on ISO 16140-2:2016.

The first certificate is One Plate Yeast & Mould. The validation is for the enumeration of yeasts and moulds. This One Plate has been validated against ISO 21527-1:2008 and ISO 21527-2:2008. The scope of validation is a broad range of foods consisting of the following categories:

  1. Heat-processed dairy products
  2. Confectionary, bakery, and eggs (combined category)
  3. Fresh produce and fruit
  4. Ready-to-eat foods (combined category: meat, poultry, and fishery products)
  5. Multicomponent foods or meal components

The second certificate is One Plate Enterobacteriaceae & E.coli. The validation is for the enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae. This second type of One Plate has been validated against ISO 21528-2:2018. Like the first study, the scope of the validation study is a broad range of foods, with categories included:

  1. Milk and dairy products
  2. Fresh produce and fruits
  3. Raw poultry and meats (Combined category raw/ RTC meats and poultry)
  4. Ready-to-eat foods (Combined category RTE/RTRH meats, poultry, and fish)
  5. Multicomponent foods

The last certificate is One Plate Total Viable Count. One Plate for Total Viable Count (OP-TVC) offers a rapid method for enumerating total aerobic mesophiles using traditional culture methodology. It has been validated against ISO 4833-1:2013. Although the scope of the validation study is also a broad range of foods, the categories are:

  1. Heat processed dairy
  2. Raw fishery products
  3. Fresh and heat-processed produce
  4. Multicomponent products
  5. Raw meat and poultry products

On our website, three certificates, 2021LR99, 2022LR108, and 2022LR112, can be found under ‘issued certificates / alternative methods for detection and enumeration‘.

Microval welcomes two new MicroVal General Committee Members

MicroVal is happy to welcome two new members of the MicroVal General Committee (MGC). Yannick Bichot (Bio-Rad Laboratories) and Frédéric Martinez (Neogen Corporation). With them, there are currently 16 members in the MGC.

The MGC is responsible for setting up standardized procedures, complementary to ISO 16140-2 and ISO 16140-6, for conducting the validation studies and to make sure that those validation studies stay in line with current legislation. In addition, the MGC promotes MicroVal in order to attract new validation assignments. All MGC members participate on a voluntary basis originating from different relevant backgrounds like food safety, regulatory affairs and standardization, method validation, and certification. 

Organizations represented in the MGC are of Nestle (Switzerland), Hygiena (Germany), bioMérieux (France), Eurofins (USA), Neogen Corporation (USA), Merck KGaA (Germany), Anses (France), ADRIA Developpement (France), Post Consumer Brands (USA), NVWA (The Netherlands), LRQA (The Netherlands), R-Biopharm AG (Germany), Bio-Rad Laboratories (France), and Liaison members of AOAC International (USA) and NordVal (Scandinavia and Baltics).

Contact details can be found on this page on our website.

First MicroVal certificate for commercial sterility detection method

MicroVal has recently issued the certificate for Neogen’s Soleris Commercial Sterility Testing Vials (NF-105) for the determination of commercial sterility in UHT treated milk and dairy alternative plant drinks. These are ready-to-use media vials containing a broth able to grow aerobic, mesophilic microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts and moulds) that are able to grow on an aerobic plate count at 30°C. Results from the validation data showed that the alternative method can be used as a rapid and sensitive testing method for commercial sterility monitoring of UHT treated milk and dairy alternative drinks.

Campden BRI has carried out the validation study of this alternative method, based on ISO 16140-2:2016. The Soleris NF-105 testing vial has been validated against the Codex Alimentarius, Code of Hygienic practice for milk and milk products (CAC/RCP 57-2004), Annex B Microbiocidal control measures Section 2.2 process management for UHT treatment using ISO 4833-1:2013 for the plate count at 30°C. In this validation, the method was used to determine a defined threshold of product contamination of greater than ≤ 10cfu per 0.1ml as defined in the European Directive 92/46 annex C chapter 2 for ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk.

The certificate and the accompanying summary report, number 2021LR100, can be found under ‘issued certificates / alternative methods’.