Campylobacter Selective Agar Achieves Microval Certification

A MicroVal certificate RQA2010LR38 has been issued to AES Chemunex for their CASA® (Campylobacter Selective Agar) method for the enumeration of Campylobacter spp in meat and poultry products and in environmental samples.

The validation studies were performed by the MicroVal Expert Laboratory Adria Developpement (France). The MicroVal Method Reviewers, Dr. Henk Stegeman and Dr. Jo Klaessens, reviewed the validation reports. The MicroVal Certification Body Lloyd's Register QA (The Netherlands) issued the certificate. The certificate will be valid for 4 years. After that period the certificate can be renewed on the request of the manufacturer. MicroVal experts will judge whether the kit and kit insert still comply with the criteria of the EN-ISO 16140.

Principle of the method
The CASA® method is an alternative method for the enumeration of Campylobacter spp in meat products and environmental samples. It is based on the use of the CASA® chromogenic medium. It consists of a nutritive base combining different peptones and a chromogenic substrate. The differentiation of Campylobacter spp from other species is based on the appearance of typical brick red colonies. The selective mixture inhibits the growth of most of the other micro-organisms.

Samples diluted in buffered peptone water or in peptone salt are inoculated onto CASA® plates by surface plating. Characteristic colonies are confirmed using all the following proposed confirmation tests:

• Tests described in the ISO/TS 10272-2:2006;


• Microgen Campylobacter latex test on one characteristic colony

In order to improve the practicability of the method, the reading of the plates and the latex test can be realized after 72H storage at 2-8°C.