About MicroVal

MicroVal is a European certification organisation for the validation and approval of alternative methods for the microbiological analysis of food and beverages. MicroVal validates and certifies alternative methods in order to show that such proprietary methods perform equally well as traditional, internationally standardised methods. MicroVal certification of alternative methods will ensure their acceptance by governmental inspection laboratories and laboratories in the food trade, throughout Europe, thus facilitating commerce within the European Union.

Vision

There exists a market for the certification of alternative methods, however this is currently closely tied to certification at a national level. MicroVal aims to create a system of validation and certification for alternative methods that will allow a manufacturer of such methods to submit their product for a single certification that is recognized and valid throughout the Common Market, including the new member states that are confused by the different national-level certifications. Establishing mutual recognition agreements with AOAC and NordVal will further increase the value of the MV certification.

History

The MicroVal project was started with the aim of setting up a European validation procedure and of creating such conditions that the results of the procedure would be accepted as far as possible by all interested parties in Europe. Standardisation and certification play important roles in this respect. When MicroVal first started, it was as a dual Dutch-French collaboration initiated by the Dutch Unilever Research Laboratory. In its final stages the project consisted of 21 full partners from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

The result of the MicroVal project was a validation system for microbiological test kits within the food and drink industry. Additionally, the system was created in such a way that its procedures would be applicable in other areas, for future use.

The project developed the MicroVal Rules and Certification Scheme describing the methodology and the organisation to be used for the European certification of alternative microbiological methods for the food and drink industry by an independent organisation.