New procedure (No. 33) on quality assurance of PCR in food and feed microbiology
NMKL published 20 Dec 2023 a new procedure on quality assurance of PCR in food and feed microbiology.
NMKL Procedure No. 33 describes the general requirements for microbiology laboratories using PCR techniques, including requirements for workflow, personnel, and equipment. Furthermore, the necessary quality control procedures for the technique are presented and advice is given on how the user can influence the performance of PCR-based methods. The general terms and definitions of PCR are not explained, and some basic knowledge of PCR and molecular biology is expected to be able to follow this procedure.
The objective of this Procedure is to provide aid for the microbiological testing laboratories, already applying quality control systems, for upgrading their capabilities into the application of molecular based techniques beside or instead of the conventional (culture-based) techniques. An additional objective is to outline the process and the required conditions for establishing and operating molecular laboratories, and general instructions are given for ensuring good practice and controlled environments for executing PCR procedures.