Microbial Services
Microbiology has been a key skill base at Colworth for many years. Our team of microbiologist and virologists have built up a wide range of experience in the areas of food microbiology, and efficacy test over the past 15 years.
The aim of Colworth Microbial Services is to help you to deliver safe and effective products to your customers.
Our work is currently focussed on;
- microbiological clearance of foods produced at pilot plant scale for use in consumer trials
- preparation of inactivated control material for diagnostic test kits
- virucidal efficacy test of disinfectants and antiseptics using internationally accepted methods.
Facilities
Our facilities include well equipped containment ACDP level 2 and 3 laboratories, where we can handle a wide arrange of micro-organisms including Poliovirus, Feline Calicivirus, Echovirus, Chlamydia trachomatis amongst others, in complete safety.
How can we help you?
Microbiological Safety Clearance
The group is an accredited member of the Campden Laboratory Accreditation Scheme for testing procedures and provides the following services;
Food products
microbiological clearance of food products produced and / or consumed on site by consumer panellists are microbiologically safe and comply with Legislative standards
HACCP auditing
auditing food processing areas against Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements
Equipment design
assist in design and evaluation of new pilot plant equipment to minimise risk of microbial contamination
Virology
Harmonisation of the methods used to evaluate the efficacy of disinfectants and antiseptics has been in progress for some years. The virology team has a range of expertise in a wide range of these methods.
New European Standard
The new European standard (BS EN 14476:2005) for evaluating the virucidal efficacy in suspension has just been issued by the British Standards Institute. This means that once the efficacy of a product has been demonstrated in one EEC country the results may be used throughout the EEC. Members of the virology group have contributed to the development of the new standard and are participating in the evaluation of the methods.
Germany, France and the USA
The team also has 15 years experience of the methods accepted in Germany, France and the USA for evaluating virucidal efficacy and is expert in these methods.
Surface and Hand
In absence of standard methods for testing surface and hand disinfection, the group has also developed and published its own methods (ref required.)
The laboratory is currently preparing for accreditation by the United Kingdom Accreditation Scheme (UKAS) for its efficacy testing.
To find out more please contact:
Dr Kate Bellamy
Email: kate.bellamy@unilever.com
Tel: +44 (0)1234 222635
Colworth Microbial Services
Colworth Science Park
Sharnbrook
Bedford MK44 1LQ
