Laboratory Excellence and AccreditationFood and Water Microbiology
Microbiological results take days to produce, by which time the product has often shipped and the water has been drunk, which makes method reliability and turnaround both matter. This course covers the discipline. Delegates work through aseptic technique and laboratory layout that prevents cross contamination, media preparation and quality control, and sample handling and homogenisation. Enumeration methods including plate count, most probable number and membrane filtration are covered with their appropriate applications. Detection of specific pathogens and the confirmation steps each requires follow. Rapid and molecular methods are addressed alongside their validation requirements. The course closes on interpreting a result against a specification, on investigating a positive, and on laboratory biosafety.
Course objectives
- Apply aseptic technique and prevent cross contamination
- Prepare and quality control media
- Handle and homogenise samples correctly
- Select enumeration methods appropriate to the sample
- Detect and confirm specific pathogens
- Apply rapid and molecular methods within their validation
- Interpret results, investigate a positive and maintain biosafety
Who should attend
- Food and water microbiology analysts
- Quality control staff in food and beverage production
- Municipal and utility laboratory personnel
- Public health laboratory staff
- Laboratory supervisors and quality managers
Course outline
- 01Results that arrive after the product has shipped
- 02Aseptic technique and laboratory layout
- 03Media preparation and quality control
- 04Sample handling and homogenisation
- 05Plate count and most probable number
- 06Membrane filtration
- 07Pathogen detection and confirmation
- 08Rapid methods, interpretation and biosafety
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 to 9 October 2026 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 19 to 23 October 2026 | Maseru, Lesotho | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 2 to 6 November 2026 | Kampala, Uganda | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |
| 1 to 5 February 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | Register Now |
| 15 to 19 March 2027 | Lagos, Nigeria | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |