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Proficiency testing for food, water and environmental microbiology
Public Health England provides proficiency testing (PT) schemes, also known as external quality assessment (EQA) schemes.
Public Health England (PHE) recognises the importance of the role of food, water and environmental microbiology laboratories and provides a range of PT schemes.
PT allows the introduction of samples of known but undisclosed content into a laboratory’s routine testing procedure.
Proficiency testing documents
- Proficiency testing: the process and benefits
- Proficiency testing (PT) for food and water microbiology: brochures
- Food and water proficiency testing schemes: scheme accreditation
- Food and water microbiology EQA schemes: sample schedule
- Proficiency testing scheme: registration forms
- Proficiency testing schemes: contacts and international distributors
- Food and water proficiency testing schemes: scheme guide
- Food and water proficiency testing schemes: scoring systems and statistics
Online data entry and reports
Online reporting system for Public Health England’s food and water microbiology proficiency testing schemes.
Bottled and mineral water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that routinely examine bottled and mineral waters for indicator organisms.
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: current distribution
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: recent reports
- Bottled and mineral water scheme: recent trend analysis
Dialysis water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that monitor the microbial quality of water used to prepare dialysis fluid.
- Hospital water schemes: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Dialysis water scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Dialysis water scheme: current distribution
- Dialysis water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Dialysis water scheme: recent reports
- Dialysis water scheme: recent trend analysis
Drinking water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that routinely examine drinking water.
- Drinking water scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Drinking water scheme: sample instruction sheets
- Drinking water scheme: current distribution
- Drinking water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Drinking water scheme: recent reports
- Drinking water scheme: recent trend analysis
Endoscope rinse water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that routinely examine endoscope rinse waters for total viable counts.
- Hospital water schemes: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Endoscope rinse water scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Endoscope rinse water scheme: current distribution
- Endoscope rinse water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Endoscope rinse water scheme: recent reports
- Endoscope rinse water scheme: recent trend analysis
Environmental swab scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine swabs for hygiene indicator organisms or pathogens.
European food microbiology legislation scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine foods for compliance with Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 as amended. The scheme assesses participants’ ability to test and interpret laboratory results in accordance with EU food safety and process hygiene criteria. .
- European food microbiology legislation scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- European food microbiology legislation scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- European food microbiology legislation scheme: current distribution
- European food microbiology legislation scheme: recent results
- European food microbiology legislation scheme: recent reports
Hospital tap water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine hospital tap waters for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Hospital water schemes: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Hospital tap water scheme: sample instruction sheet and video
- Hospital tap water scheme: current distribution
- Hospital tap water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Hospital tap water scheme: recent reports
- Hospital tap water scheme: recent trend analysis
Legionella isolation scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine waters for Legionella spp.
- Legionella scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Legionella scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Legionella isolation scheme: current distribution
- Legionella scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Legionella scheme: recent reports
- Legionella scheme: recent trend analysis
Legionella molecular scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine waters for Legionella spp. detection and quantification by molecular methods.
Mycobacterium spp. in water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine for Mycobacterium from endoscope rinse and heater cooler unit waters.
Non-pathogen scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that enumerate indicator and spoilage micro-organisms from food samples.
- Non-pathogen scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet: freeze-dried food
- Non-pathogen scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Non-pathogen scheme: current distribution
- Non-pathogen scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Non-pathogen scheme: recent reports
- Non-pathogen scheme: recent trend analysis
Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine food products or waters for hepatitis A virus and norovirus using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR).
- Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: sample instruction sheet
- Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: current distribution
- Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: recent intended results
- Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: recent report
Pathogenic vibrio scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories examining food or water samples for Vibrio spp.
Recreational and surface water scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that routinely monitor water, in rivers, lakes, streams and bathing beaches and pools, for indicator organisms.
- Recreational and surface water scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Recreational and surface water scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Recreational and surface water scheme: current distribution
- Recreational and surface water scheme: recent intended results for distribution
- Recreational and surface water scheme: recent reports
Shellfish scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories testing raw live bivalve molluscs from harvesting beds for classification or end product testing.
Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that examine for Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC). This scheme contains non-viable microorganisms (killed bacteria) and is only suitable for examination by molecular methods.
- Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet for lenticules
- Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: sample instruction sheet
- Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: current distribution
- Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: recent intended results
- Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: recent reports
Standard scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that routinely test for a range of food-borne pathogens and indicator organisms.
Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) detection scheme
This scheme is suitable for laboratories that test food for Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) using a range of kits. Participants culture the Staphylococcus aureus from the sample vials then test for enterotoxin production.
- Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) detection scheme: sample schedule
- Safety data sheet: freeze-dried food
- Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) detection scheme: sample instruction sheets and video
- Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) detection scheme: current distribution
- SET detection scheme: intended results for distribution
- Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SET) detection scheme: recent reports
Last updated 27 November 2018 + show all updates
- Added 'Mycobacterium spp. in water scheme'.
- Added 'Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: sample schedule'.
- Added new 'Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme' subheading and related documents.
- Added legionella molecular scheme.
- Added food and water proficiency testing schemes: scheme accreditation.
- Added shiga toxin escherichia coli scheme: sample schedule.
- Added Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: recent reports.
- Added Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme.
- Added environmental swab scheme: recent reports.
- Added environmental swab scheme.
- PHE withdrew the public health PT scheme in April 2015.
- Added proficiency testing schemes: international distributors and collaborators.
- Added link to online data entry system and drinking water scheme instruction sheet.
- First published.