Recommendations for preparing test samples for AOAC collaborative studies of microbiological procedures for foods

Preparation of test samples for microbial collaborative studies poses problems not encountered in studies on chemical analytes. For Associate Referees who are considering a collaborative study of a microbiological procedure for food analysis, these problems have not been adequately addressed. Types of contamination (natural or artificial), number of test samples required, analyte selection, proper controls, and container selection are addressed herein. The discussion is a supplement to the guidelines contained in the Handbook for AOAC Members.