BS EN 13610: 2002

Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of virucidal activity against bacteriophages of chemical disinfectants used in food and industrial areas (phase 2 step 1)

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Quick understanding of the test

BS EN 13610: 2002 -Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of virucidal activity against bacteriophages of chemical disinfectants used in food and industrial areas (phase 2 step 1)

To evaluate the virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants against bacteriophages in food and industrial areas.

Application

Applicable for disinfectants used in food industries, biotechnology, and fermentation industries, excluding products for use on living tissues or in medical areas.
  • A suspension of bacteriophages in an interfering substance is added to the disinfectant.
  • The mixture is incubated for specified contact times and temperatures.
  • At the end of contact time, the test mixture is neutralized. 
  • Infectious bacteriophages are enumerated from the neutralizing extract.

Turnaround Time

Approximately 3–4 weeks.
The efficacy of the disinfectant is assessed by determining the log reduction in bacteriophage counts.

Passing criteria

The disinfectant must demonstrate at least a 4-log reduction in the bacteriophage levels to meet the efficacy standard.

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Abstract

EN 13610 is used for evaluating the virucidal activity of disinfectants against bacteriophages in the food processing, distribution and other related settings.

EN 13610 standard is applicable for areas and/or situations in food and industrial, except for areas where disinfection is medically indicated. This includes –

  • Food industries of animal origin – Can include milk, meat, eggs, fish, seafood, and their products.
  • Food industries of vegetable origin – Can include beverages, fruits, vegetables, and their derivatives. 
  • Other biotechnology and fermentation industries – Can include yeast, proteins, and enzymes.

However, the EN 13610 method is not used to assess the performance of products used on living tissues.

EN 13610 Test Conditions & Requirement

Mandatory test microorganisms 

  • Bacteriophages –  Lactococcus lactsi subsp. Lactis bacteriophage P001 (DSM 4262) and Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis bacteriophage P008 (DSM 10567)
  • Host bacteria –   Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis F7/2 (DSM 4366)
  • Temperature – 20 °C  (Optional/additional temperature: 4, 10 or 40 °C)
  • Contact time – 15 minutes (Optional/additional time: 5, 30 or 60 min)
  • Interfering substance – Acidic milk 1%
  • Passing criteria – Test product must achieve at least 4 log reduction value in effectively eliminating bacteriophages

EN 13610 Test Method

  • A test suspension of bacteriophages in a solution of interfering substances is added to the product sample diluted in hard water.
  • The mixture is maintained at specific contact times and temperatures as per the EN 13610 guideline and manufacturer’s recommendation.
  • At the end of the contact time, test mixture is immediately subjected to neutralization using a suitable neutralizing solution. In cases if there is an unavailability of neutralizer for a specific product, alternative method like molecular sieving (gel filtration) can be employed to remove the product effectively.
  • Infectious bacteriophages are enumerated from the neutralizing extract.
  • According to the EN 13610 passing criteria, test product must achieve a minimum of 4 log reduction values against obligatory bacteriophages.

Importance of EN 13610 Test

Bacteriophage contamination is common in the food industries, subsequently impacting the output of the food products in terms of quantity and quality. This leads to heavy financial losses to the industry. To address this concern, it is essential to implement robust hygiene practices by using disinfectants capable of effectively killing or minimizing bacteriophage presence to avoid any impact on the quantity or quality of the food products.

EN 13610 outlines the test method for evaluating the virucidal activity of products designed for disinfection purposes in food and industrial areas against bacteriophages.

EN 13610 test helps companies and manufacturers to validate the effectiveness of their products against bacteriophage and ensure the safety of food-related environments.

Conclusion

At MIS, we offer a comprehensive range of microbiology efficacy testing options to assist clients with virucidal assessment of disinfectant and antiseptic formulations.

We offer clients a customized end-to-end solution to support them with product development that has maximum efficiency. We prioritize precision and quality in all our services to provide clients with trustworthy results they can rely on.

We also perform EN 14476 (phase 2 step 1 suspension test) to evaluate the virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants intended for use in the medical area. To request a quote on EN 13610 or have any related questions regarding turnaround times, talk to our experts here.

Frequently Asked Questions

DR. Martinoz Scholtz

MIS Labs
1. What is EN 13610 test?

EN 13610 aims to evaluate the virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants against bacteriophages in food settings. This European standard specifies phase 2 step 1 suspension test to determine virucidal activity of tested products in a suspension. To pass EN 13610 efficacy criteria, the test product must achieve at least 4 log reduction value in effectively eliminating bacteriophages.

2. What are the Products that can be tested with EN 13610 test?

EN 13610 test is applicable to chemical disinfectants used to mitigate the risk of bacteriophage contamination in the food industries.

3. What is the Turnaround Time for EN 13610 test?

EN 13610 test takes 3-4 weeks to complete.

4. On how many microbial strains can your EN 13610 testing lab perform tests on?

At Microbe Investigations, we test for EN 13610 using the following microbial strains:  Lactococcus lactsi subsp. Lactis bacteriophage P001 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis bacteriophage P008 (Bacteriophages) and  Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis (host bacterial strain).

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