This document specifies general requirements and gives guidance on microbiological examinations.


It is applicable to:


—     the implementation of specific horizontal or vertical International Standards developed by ISO/TC 34/SC 9 or ISO/TC 34/SC 5 for detection or enumeration of microorganisms, named hereafter “specific standards”;


—     good laboratory practices for microbiology laboratories testing samples from the food chain;


—     guidance for microbiological laboratories testing samples from the food chain on the technical requirements for conforming to ISO/IEC 17025.


The requirements of this general standard supersede corresponding ones in existing specific standards.


Additional instructions for examinations using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are specified in ISO 22174.