BS EN ISO 6888-1:2021

What is ISO 6888‑1 about?  

ISO 6888‑1 is the first in the series of documents on the microbiology of the food chain. ISO 6888‑1 specifies a horizontal method for the enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci by counting the colonies obtained on a solid medium (Baird-Parker medium) [ 10] after aerobic incubation at 34 °C to 38 °C and coagulase confirmation. 

ISO 6888‑1 applies to products intended for human consumption, products intended for animal feeding, environmental samples in the area of food and feed production, handling, and samples from the primary production stage. 

The methods provided in ISO 6888‑1 is not considered to be (fully) suited to the examination of fermented products or other products containing technological flora based on Staphylococcus spp (e.g. S. xylosus) (such as cheeses made from raw milk and certain raw meat products) likely to be contaminated by: 

• Staphylococci forming atypical colonies on a Baird-Parker agar medium 
• Background flora that can obscure the colonies being sought 

ISO 6888‑2 is applicable to: 

• Products intended for human consumption 
• Products intended for animal feeding,  
• Environmental samples in the area of food and feed production and handling 
• Samples from the primary production stage 

Who is ISO 6888‑1 for? 

ISO 6888‑1 on the enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci is useful for: 

• Laboratories studying microbiology of the food chain 
• Microbiologists 
• Food technologists 
• Quality and food safety department of food products and animal feed  
• Environmental scientists 

Why should you use ISO 6888‑1?  

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is an intoxication caused by the ingestion, with food, of emetic staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) produced by enterotoxigenic strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS): especially Staphylococcus aureus. The contamination of food with CPS is commonly caused by inadequate food processing methods or the use of mastitis milk. Thus, unpasteurized milk cheeses, contaminated by enterotoxigenic strains of staphylococci, may be involved in SPF outbreaks. 

ISO 6888‑1 helps users by specifying a method to identify coagulase-positive staphylococci in food products, the identification of which can prevent severe health effects in humans and animals. 

ISO 6888-1 specifies the necessary procedure, test methods, and performance characteristics to conduct the necessary aerobic incubation and inoculation processes. 

The enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci using the Baird-Parker agar medium, that complies with ISO 6888-1 can help you assess and mitigate negative effects of the staphylococci on humans and animals. As a result, you can ensure the safety of end-consumers against health hazards arising from consumption of contaminated food. Moreover, meeting the defined quality control system can help you improve quality and shelf-life of end-product. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN ISO 6888‑1:2021 supersedes ISO 6888‑1:1999. BS EN ISO 6888‑1:2021 includes some technical changes with respect to ISO 6888‑1:1999. These include: 

• The document has been aligned with ISO 7218:2007, i.e., pour molten agar medium at 44 °C to 47 °C all occurrences, when appropriate, have been changed from “35 °C or 37 °C” to “34 °C to 38 °C” 
• All occurrences of incubation time, when appropriate, have been changed from “18 h to 24 h” to “24 h ± 2 h”. Requirements have been added to use ISO 11133 
• All available standards related to sampling techniques have been updated. A description of typical and atypical colonies on Baird-Parker agar (BPA) medium has been updated 
• The rabbit plasma fibrinogen agar (RPFA) medium has been added as an alternative to the coagulase test for confirmation 
• The flow diagram procedure in Annex A has been updated. Culture media and reagents with performance testing in Annex B have been added. The Bibliography has been updated