Proficiency Testing Microbiology – Food, water and hygiene

News!

The new portal Eurofins HUB is now launched. This portal shall be used for your registration for upcoming participation in PT trials for 2024, for entering your PT results and for receiving your assessment and reports. This portal will replace RingDat Online, which will close approximately 31^st December 2023. Make yourself familiar with the new portal already at this point. Look at the HUB – guide before you log in to the portal.

What is Proficiency Testing?

Proficiency testing (PT) is a part of the continuous quality assurance of a laboratory’s analytical results. This is an external quality control that demonstrates the laboratory's overall ability to analyze and report correct answers on agreed parameters over time.

Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Norway AS offer PTs in the field of microbiology, for foods, simulated water and hygiene. These PT schemes are accredited according to the requirements in ISO/IEC 17043. The test material is either dry natural foods, freeze dried microorganisms or swabs/cloths. The test material is produced by IFM Quality Services Pty. Ltd, Australia. IFM is an accredited reference material producer, and produce these materials according to the requirements in ISO 17034.

The safety data sheet for PT material can be found here.

Why participate in PT trials?

To have the quality of your test results assessed by an external partner
To identify needs for training, maintain competence and indicate areas of improvement
To make sure that the laboratory is able to deliver reproducible results to its customers
To test new methods or equipment
To meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. PTs must cover all accredited analyzes if such programs exists

How are PT trials organized?

Participants will receive their PT samples approximately the week before the period of analysis starts. Perform the analysis’ of your interest, use methods that are fit for the purpose of the target organisms, and participate in the trials of your choice.

Results must be entered into the portal before the due date. When a trial closes, there will be issued two reports; Preliminary report will be issued within 2 weeks and a final report will be issued within 4 weeks. The final report will include overview of results, and participants are able to compare their results against other participants.

The assessment of participant performance is carried out according to ISO/IEC 17043. The respective assigned values are determined by consensus, after all participants have submitted their test results. The consensus value is determined by robust statistics according to ISO 13528 (Algorithm A). Participants assessment is given by z-score for quantitative analysis and for the qualitative analysis, the assessment will be Pass of Fail. Results need to be reported in the portal within the due date, in order for the results to be included in consensus values, and to receive an individual assessment.

Deadline for reporting of participant results

It is important that laboratory results are reported within the deadline. We recommend reporting the results well in advance in case you might need technical assistance from Eurofins. If results are not reported within the deadline, it is not guaranteed that your results can be included. Please contact us as soon as possible, no later than the day after the reporting deadline, to find out if it will be possible to have your results included.

Our PT samples

Throughout the year our trials will offer different challenges. Most of our trials are composed of 3 samples (exceptions are hygiene and seafood, where the number of samples are two). The target organisms may be present in 1, 2 or 3 samples. Duplicate samples may occur. The level of target organisms may vary from low to high. As a result of this, the limit of detection may be challenged, and also the ability to make satisfactory dilution series. Relevant target strains are used. Mostly, target strains are characteristic for the particular analysis, however we may add atypical strains from time to time. Our PTs contain several target organisms at the same time, this means that a sample may have both a positive target combined with negative or background flora. For the food scheme, the matrix will also vary during the year.

The different frequency of added target organisms, the inoculated level and a variation of strains, is the best way of simulating real life samples. This will measure real competence. Remember to report your results from approved staff, not from staff in training.

Confidentiality

As a PT provider Eurofins is obliged to keep the identity and the PT performance of the participating laboratories confidential, unless agreed to share this information. If Eurofins is required by law to release confidential information, you will be notified.

A few participants will receive their PT samples directly from IFM. Laboratory identity and laboratory performance will be kept confidential.

How often to participate in a PT?

The frequency of participation in PT trials is part of the laboratory’s risk assessment, however here are some issues that can be considered when planning:

What kind of risks are associated with the analyzes performed by the laboratory?
Does the laboratory have many different methods of analysis or different techniques?
Do you have many or few analysts?
Are your analysts experienced or new?
What level of competence do the analysts have?
How is the turnover in your lab?
What other kinds of control samples are used by the laboratory?
If you receive an unsatisfactory PT result, you need to consider how much time has passed since your last satisfactory PT result? (What about the real life samples analyzed in this period?)
Trending is difficult with limited participation

Registration/ General terms/ Payment

When you register for a trial the registration is considered to be binding. See general terms here. The invoice for a trial is usually sent within 2 weeks of the sample shipment for a particular trial. A prerequisite for participation is to register in time and that previous participation invoices have been paid. If the date for registration is missed, send us an email to check if participation still is available.

Laboratories are reminded that it is your responsibility to ensure that your laboratory has met all local regulations related to the importation of microbiological proficiency testing material. Where import permits are required, please provide a copy to Eurofins. Please note that importation fees, duties or taxes for entering your country is not included and are the responsibility of the importer (participant). We will do our very best to provide information in order to assist with importation. However, Eurofins takes no direct responsibility for any delays in importation or importation failures.

Please contact us for more information

Proficiency testing (PT)
+47 481 80 117
PT001@ftn.eurofins.com