Irapuato, Gto., July 11, 2018.- The Division of Life Sciences of the University of Guanajuato (UG) hosted the ISO Standards Compliance Seminar (International Organization for Standardization) on food safety, taught by Barbara Gerten, a German doctor expert in the Development of microbiological standards in the field of food and drinking water.

The researcher who belongs to the Merck group, based in Darmstadt, Germany, the oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company in the world, was invited by Dr. Ma. Del Rosario Abraham Juárez, director of the Food department, with the aim of updating its professors, students and those who work in the field of microbiological analysis in the ISO 11133 standard, which is compulsory for the accredited laboratories of Food and drinking water.

For this seminar, the Division of Life Sciences also summoned more than 50 companies in the food area that are the main employers of graduates of the food Engineering program that is held at Irapuato headquarters.

The guest, who integrates the Working Committee for the Development of microbiological standards in the field of food and drinking water, presented the history of the ISO for the microbiological analysis of food and water samples for consumption in humans and Animals, as well as alignment and harmonization with other standards and methods.

ISO 11133 focuses on quality control of Culture media, as well as specifying practices in preparation, production and conservation. Despite the availability of rapid detection methods, culture media is used in all microbiological tests; either as a complete autonomous workflow or for enrichment and confirmation purposes. Thus, the liquids and culture solids are critical aspects in all microbiology laboratories, and as such should be adequate, consistent and reproducible.

Before more than a hundred attendees, she explained the interpretation and perspectives related to ISO 11133, the preparation of culture media and performance tests for the means of confirmation and reagents.

The present learned about the validation of the method of microbiology of different standards (ISO/AOAC/FDA-BAM/EP/USP) and specific information on the recent revisions of the ISO standards in Microbiology: Salmonella, Listeria, Enterobacteriaceae, Cronobacter, E. coli. Microbiology of water: E. coli and Coliforms, Legionella.

The session closed with the theme of the correct application of environmental monitoring techniques in the food industry: microbiological control, ATP control (adenosine triphosphate) and allergen control.