MicroVal, a challenging Eureka project

A description is given of MicroVal, a Eureka project for the validation and approval of alternative methods for the microbiological analysis of food and beverages. The general rules and certification procedures ave described as well as how the certification may be organized in future, MicroVal aims at certifying alternative methods, i.e. methods which perform as well as internationally standardized methods. Whenever possible, an ISO standard method is used as the reference. Certification of alternative methods should ensure its acceptance by governmental inspection laboratories and laboratories in the food trade, thus facilitating commerce within the European Union. Although the realization of the project has not been finalized, a certification protocol has been developed of which details are given. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.