Microbiological Testing

Microbiological quality evaluation against prescribed specification limits for water, food and agri products, ready to eat foods, herbal materials, biofertilizers, probiotics, nutraceuticals, nutritional supplements, cosmetics, drugs and pharmaceuticals

Evaluation of the antimicrobial protection/preservative effectiveness of cosmetic and consumer products, disinfectant efficacy.

Evaluation for resistance to microorganisms of industrial and building materials, electronic items, polymers and insulation materials, rubber, textiles and fabrics, duck cotton fabric

Microbiological monitoring of food processing and packaging plants, storage godowns and indoor air monitoring of workplace like cleanrooms, hotels, restaurants, hospitals for bioburden for bacterial and fungal load

Evaluation of raw materials and finished products for microbial load, indicator organisms, pathogens and investigation for microbial spoilage

Evaluation for water purifiers, candle filters, nanotechnology based filters and devices

Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC) tests

If a product is normally stored at room temperature, ship samples in an appropriate container to arrive at the lab within 72 hours

If a product is normally stored frozen or refrigerated, ship samples on ice or frozen, in an insulated container, to arrive at the lab preferably within 6 to 12 hours, but not later than 48 hours

Notify the lab by phone or e-mail as to when to expect samples

Fill up the Sample Submission Form and send it along the samples

Mention clearly sample description, sample size, Test parameters and relevant Test methods for various tests

List of Products tested and Classes of tests and test methods are specified below. If any particular product or test is not specified or you have a new R&D proposal or protocol, do email/write to us for feasibility check

Types of water:Drinking water, Packaged drinking water, Packaged natural mineral water, Water for processed food industry, Water for Swimming pools and spas, Purified water, Processed or distilled or demineralized or reverse osmosis water, Water for construction purpose, Water for Medicinal purposes, Ground water, Surface water, Water for industrial purpose, Haemodialysis solution, Pharmaceutical water

Specifcations: IS, FSSAI, ISO, WHO, EU, US-EPA, Customer specifications

Test parameters: Aerobic microbial count, Coliforms (MPN/MF), E.coli, Enterococci/Faecal streptococci, Faecal coliforms, Clostridium perfringens, Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Sulphite reducing anaerobes (clostridia), Yeasts and Molds, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Test methods: IS, ISO, APHA, US-EPA, CPCB, FSSAI, Customer procedures.

Types of products: Animal Feeds, Bakery & Confectionery Products, Beverages (Alcoholic / Non-Alcoholic), Canned & Processed Foods, Cereals, Pulses & Cereal Products, Coffee & Cocoa Products, Edible Colours & Flavours, Edible Oils & Fats, Eggs & Egg Products, Essential Nutrients Including Vitamins, Fish & Sea Foods, Food Additives & Preservatives, Fruit & Fruit Products, Gelatin and Other Gums, Genetically Modified Foods and agricultural products, Herbs, Spices & Condiments, Honey & Honey products, Infant Foods, Jams, Juices, Sauces & Concentrates, Meat & Meat Products, Milk & Dairy Products, Natural Waxes, Nuts & Nut Products, Oil Seeds & By-Products, Pet Foods, Poultry & Poultry Products, Starch & Starch Products, Sugar & Sugar Products, Snacks and Instant Mixes, Tea, Tobacco & Tobacco Products, Vegetables & Vegetable Products, Nutraceutical and functional foods like probiotics and food supplements, Ready to eat food.

Specifcations: IS, FSSAI, ISO, EN, US-FDA, Codex, BAM, Import, export and customer specifications.

Test parameters: Aerobic microbial count/Total plate count, Anaerobic plate count, Aerobic and Anaerobic Spore Formers, Air plates, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Coliforms(Plate count or MPN), E.coli, Enteroocci/Faecal streptococci, Faecal coliforms, Heat resistant molds, Lactic acid bacteria count, Lactobacillus count, Listeria monocytogenes, Mesophilic bacteria count, Mold ID, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Psychrophilic organisms, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Sulphite reducing clostridia, Thermophilic Organisms, Yeasts and Molds, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and other Vibrio sps

Test methods: IS, ISO, EN, APHA, US-FDA, FSSAI, AOAC, AACC, ICUMSA, Customer supplied procedures

Type of products: R&D samples – Pharmaceutical products

Test parameters(microbial limit tests): Microbial enumeration tests for bacteria, yeasts and molds, Bioburden in medical devices, Test for specified microorganisms-Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Coliforms or bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridia, Candida albicans, preservative effectiveness test

Test methods: IP/BP/EP/JP/USP/IS/ISO/EN/International Pharmacopoeia/Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia

Type of analysis:

Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC) Tests for corrosion/pigging samples : Total viable count (TVC)/Heterotrophic aerobic bacterial count (HAB), Slime forming bacteria(SLYM/SPB), Acid producing bacteria (APB), Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB), Iron related bacteria(IRB) and Manganese reducing bacteria(MnRB)

Bioburden Estimation

Microbiological analysis of Air and surface swabs from workplace environment

Microbiological analysis of Effluents/Waste water/ Solid waste /Sewage /Soil

Test methods: NACE/BART/Protocol

Types of products: Algicides, Bactericides, Fungicides, Sporicides, Antiseptics, Disinfectants (Phenolic and Non-Phenolic type disinfectants), Sanitizers

Test parameters: Disinfectant efficacy for Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Germicidal value (Rideal Walker Coefficient and Staphylococcus aureus coefficient)

Test methods: IS 1061 / IS 10758 /AOAC /EN

Test parameters: Gram negative Pathogens,  Microbial Count,  Preservative Efficacy. Challenge microorganisms include gram positive&gram negative bacteria, spore formers, yeasts and molds

Microbiological Challenge-test: Cosmetics (ISO 11930, pharmaceutical products Ph. Eur. 5.1.3)

Test methods: IS 14648 /ISO/CFTA

Type of products: Dairy Starter Cultures,  Starter cultures for Effluent Treatment Plant, Rhizobial Cultures,  Cultures for baking and brewing, Mushroom Spawn, Probiotics

Test parameters: Microbial enumeration

Test methods: IS /ISO /Customer procedure

Type of products: Seeds/grains

Test parameters: Detection of pathogens

Test methods: IS /ISO /Customer procedure

Type of products: Microorganisms/isolates

Test parameters: Identification of Bacterial /Fungal Pathogens

Test methods: IS /ISO /Customer procedure

Type of products: Textiles and Fabrics, Leather & Leather Products.  Electrical Components Timber and Allied Materials,  Packaging Materials,  Polymers or plastic materials, Paints and surface coatings, Mineral wool insulation materials, Corrosion resistance

Test parameters: Resistance to microbial growth / attack, Mould growth test

Test methods: IS/ISO/IEC/JSS/JIS/MIL-STD/ASTM/AATCC/Customer procedure

Pulp, Paper and board: enumeration of bacteria and bacterial spores (ISO 8784-1)

Soaps & Detergents: Antibacterial activity in soaps (IS 11479)

Textiles & Fabrics: Antibacterial activity and Antifungal activity (AATCC)

Wood & Wooden Products: Mycological test / resistance to mold attack

Adhesives Glues and Sealant,  Fuels and Oils Lubricants Toys and Other Children’s Products, Packaging Materials, Paints and surface coatings: Bacterial and Fungal count

Water Purifiers /devices /Filters: Water Purifiers (Based on UV-Disinfection, Ozonization, Ion-exchange and Membrane Filtration) and water filters are checked for antimicrobial efficiency against targeted challenge organisms like E.coli Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Micrococcus luteus

Test parameters: Microbial enumeration, detection of pathogens

Azospirillum (IS 14806)

Azotobacter chrooccum (IS 9138)

Bacillus thuringensis

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (IS 14807)

Phosphate solubilizing fungi (IS 15849)

Potassium solubilizing bacteria

Rhizobium (IS 8268)

Test methods: IS / ISO /Customer supplied procedures

Test parameters: Microbial enumeration, detection of pathogens

Test methods: IS / ISO /Customer procedure

Quality of any product depends on the type of packaging, shelf life, presence and nature of micro-organisms contained in a particular product. Under favorable conditions microorganisms present proliferate and result in loss of product quality. Microbiological monitoring is an essential part of quality control where Lucid labs helps in product testing and evaluation