WATER ACTIVITY. Instrumental Determination by Novasina Electronic Hygrometer and Aqua-Lab Dew Point Instrument. NMKL method no. 168, 2001.

Finn Løvhøiden, Municipal Food Control Authority of Midt-Rogaland, Norway has elaborated and arranged the collaborative study of the method, with satisfactory results.

In 1994, NMKL decided to elaborate a new instrumental method for measuring water activity, intended to replace the old polyamide filament hygrometer method. Initially, the method was intended to describe determination using the Novasina apparatus, which is an electronic hygrometer. However in 1996, it was also resolved to include Aqua-lab apparatus, which is a dew-point instrument. As these two instruments operate on different principles, the method is divided into two parts. During summer 1999, the method performance study was completed. 11 laboratories participated, 5 using the Novasina and 6 using the Aqualab. Seven types of matrices, each type represented by two samples with similar but not identical content; i.e. 14 samples, were distributed to the laboratories. The following matrices were included in the study: NaCl-solution, MgCl-solution, biscuits, cooked meat, flour, smoked salmon and mayonnaise. Satisfactory results were obtained for all samples except biscuits.

NMKL would like to thank the referee Finn Løvhøiden and his employers, for the significant and comprehensive work in elaborating the method and in arranging the collaborative validation study. NMKL would also like to thank all the 11 laboratories that participated in the study.

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COLIFORM BACTERIA. Determination in foods and fodder.
NMKL method no 44, 5th ed., 2001

Marianne Økland, National Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway has revised NMKL method no 44 of 1995. The revisions can be summed up as follows:

Fodder is included as matrix.

Incubation of milk and milk products at 30°C is included

The size of colonies is no longer described as having a diameter of at least 0.5 mm during reading, but under the definition of .. usually 0.5mm or more

Grain (which is an essential ingredient in fodder) is, in addition, mentioned in the list of sources of false positives in reading of Violet Red Bile agar (VRB)

Confirmation in Brilliant Green Bile Lactose Broth (BGL­B) is required in this version.

NMKL would like to thank Marianne Økland and the National Veterinary Institute for the revision of this method.

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ACID VALUE/FREE FATTY ACIDS. Determination in fats.

NMKL method no. 38, 4th. ed., 2001

NMKL Secretary General, Hilde Skaar Norli, National Veterinary Institute, Oslo has revised the NMKL method no. 38,1975. The revisions can be summed up as follows:

Mainly editorial

Acid value expressed as free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid) is included

Normality is replaced by Molarity

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The Norwegian National Committee of NMKL: From left: Kaare Julshamn, Tone Normann Asp, Per Atle Rosness, Per Lea, Marit Rødbotten, Urd Bente Andersen, Gjermund Bø, Laurits Rossebø, Liv Marit Rørvik, Georg Kapperud, Hilde Skaar Norli, Astrid Nordbotten, Karl Olav Gjerstad, Gudrun Q. Rognerud (chairperson).  Not present: Øyvin Stray-Pedersen

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NMKL method No 91, 3. ed., 2001: Sampling and pre-treatment of foods and animal feedstuffs, for quantitative microbiological examination  is now also available in Finnish.

Description of the method is given in the newsletter no 46/01 and on NMKL’s homepage.

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NMKL procedure No 9, 2001: Evaluation of results derived from the analysis of certified reference materials is soon available also in Swedish version.

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NMKL report No 11, 2. ed; 2000

Referentvejledning is reprinted, as two pages were omitted in the previous issue. We greatly regret this omission. New copies will be distributed to members and referees.

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N o r d V a l

NordVal is established as a Nordic System for validation of alternative microbiological methods (test kits).

The national food administration in each of the Nordic countries nominates an expert to NordVal. Sven Qvist, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, is elected, as the chair of NordVal.

The objective of NordVal is to evaluate the performance and field of application of alternative microbiological method for analysis of food, water, animal feed and environmental samples.  8 test-kits have been evaluated so far; 5 on Salmonella and 3 on Listeria, respectively. For further information please contact Sven Qvist (email: sq@fdir.dk).

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NMKL arranges:

Course on Measurement of Uncertainty
in Microbiological Examination of Foods

 

In 1999, NMKL procedure No. 8 ”Measurement of uncertainty in microbiological examination of foods” was published. Eystein Skjerve, of the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, was project leader and author of this procedure. Since estimation of measurement uncertainty within microbiological analysis is a relatively new topic, and statistics and practical use of statistical models are not necessarily familiar to most of us, there is clearly a need to arrange courses on the estimation and declaration of measurement uncertainty for microbiological examinations in foods.

NMKL procedure No. 8 is under revision in NMKL. Skjerve will be holding courses based on this procedure in the various Nordic countries. NMKL has received funds from the Nordic Council of Ministers for the project, which enables us to keep the course as inexpensive as possible.

The course will be for one day. Please note the following dates:

	Norway: November 7
	Sweden: November 21
	Denmark: December 5
	Iceland: January 16, 2002
	Finland: January 30, 2002

The courses in Iceland and Finland will be held in English.

The program will be available on NMKL’s homepage and distributed in due course to subscribers and interested parties.

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Strategy in using methods         ^{NNM-project 68.08.03}

A current project under the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Food Issues has had as its objective, to advise Nordic food laboratories on improving their choice of appropriate methods. The background to the project was the EU Commission, the secretariat of EFTA and the European Standardization organisation, CEN, entering into an agreement, which has significantly increased activity on the elaboration of European microbiological standards. These are published as official standards in the Nordic countries, which means that in some areas, there will be a double set of officially recognized analytical standards for foods, CEN- standards and NMKL methods

The working group has come to the following conclusions:

Nordic food laboratories should select collaboratively validated methods (e.g. NMKL, CEN, ISO, IDF or AOAC methods) as the superior criteria, in connection with accreditation. It was also concluded that industry has a great need for simple rapid methods, which are not necessarily fully collaboratively validated but approved by an independent party (such as NMKL reviewed or approved by NordVal). If there are several validated methods for the same parameter, the advantages and disadvantages of the respective methods should be reviewed.  The criteria mentioned below should be included in the evaluation.

The project report states that in the opinion of the working group, consideration of these criteria will benefit the NMKL methods, and that a widespread use of NMKL methods at Nordic food laboratories will not only strengthen Nordic identity and sense of community but also Nordic influence internationally. The keyword is collaborative validation.

Comments from NMKL secretary general: NMKL is in liaison with CEN, and the Nordic representatives have introduced more than one NMKL method into the CEN system. Several NMKL methods have therefore been adopted by CEN, which undoubtedly increases Nordic influence internationally. 

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Copyright © NMKL.  June 2001.