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Proficiency testing for food, water and environmental microbiology

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides proficiency testing (PT) schemes, also known as external quality assessment (EQA) schemes.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Health Security Agency
Published:
31 July 2014
Last updated:
26 August 2019
Show all updates

  1. Added 'Mycobacterium spp. in water scheme: recent reports'.

  2. Added 'Mycobacterium spp. in water scheme: recent intended results for distribution'.

  3. Added 'Mycobacterium spp scheme: current distribution request form'.

  4. Added 'Endoscope rinse water scheme: sample schedule' and 'Dialysis water scheme: sample schedule' to the collection.

  5. Added Mycobacterium spp. sample schedule and Mycobacterium spp. sample instruction sheet.

  6. Added 'Mycobacterium spp. in water scheme'.

  7. Added 'Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme: sample schedule'.

  8. Added new 'Norovirus and hepatitis A virus scheme' subheading and related documents.

  9. Added legionella molecular scheme.

  10. Added food and water proficiency testing schemes: scheme accreditation.

  11. Added shiga toxin escherichia coli scheme: sample schedule.

  12. Added Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme: recent reports.

  13. Added Shiga toxin Escherichia coli scheme.

  14. Added environmental swab scheme: recent reports.

  15. Added environmental swab scheme.

  16. PHE withdrew the public health PT scheme in April 2015.

  17. Added proficiency testing schemes: international distributors and collaborators.

  18. Added link to online data entry system and drinking water scheme instruction sheet.

  19. First published.

This collection was withdrawn on

This content is no longer up-to-date. For the most recent information, see the Food and Environment Proficiency Testing Unit (FEPTU) website.

UKHSA 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.

Non-pathogen scheme

This scheme is suitable for laboratories that enumerate indicator and spoilage micro-organisms from food samples.

Pathogenic vibrio scheme

This scheme is suitable for laboratories examining food or water samples for Vibrio spp.

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.

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