MICROVAL, A NEW AND CHALLENGING EUREKA PROJECT

The objective of the Eureka project 'MicroVal' is to establish a European mechanism for the validation and approval of alternative methods for the microbiological analysis of food and drink. In a number of European countries there is, to a large extent, agreement among suppliers of test methods, the food industry and standards institutes that there is a great need for such a mechanism for validating novel methods, especially those concerning the detection, quantification and/or identification of spoilage and/or pathogenic microorganisms. Within a wider perspective, the MicroVal project therefore touches upon aspects of both quality assurance and national health related to the production and consumption of food.