Combined EURL-Salmonella Proficiency Test Primary Production and Food, 2020. Detection of Salmonella in hygiene swab samples

The National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) of the European Union were able to detect Salmonella in hygiene swab samples in the annual EURLSalmonella Proficiency Test. All laboratories were successful in finding Salmonella in high and low concentrations in the contaminated hygiene swab samples. All but two laboratories scored good results. These two laboratories reported the positive control sample as having a negative result. One laboratory made an administrative error in reporting their positive result accidently as a negative one and scored a moderate performance. The other laboratory proved with their raw data that they misinterpreted the purpose of this sample. They considered this sample as a normal sample and added an extra sample as their positive control. This laboratory also scored a moderate performance. This was the outcome of the Proficiency Test for detection of Salmonella in hygiene swab samples organised by the coordinating EURL-Salmonella in October 2020. Since 1992, all NRLs from EU members states are obliged to participate in the annual quality control proficiency tests for Salmonella. Every Member State has to appoint a National Reference Laboratory, which is responsible for analysing Salmonella in samples taken from the animal primary production stage (PPS). Because of the nature of the samples, the participation of NRLs that are responsible for analysing Salmonella in food samples was allowed on voluntary basis. In total, 65 NRLs participated in this study: 37 NRLs PPS and 28 NRLs Food originating from 28 EU Member States (MS), five NRLs were based in third countries in Europe (non-EU members), and one was based in a non-European country. The EURL-Salmonella is located at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). An important task of the EURLSalmonella is to monitor and improve the performance of the National Reference Laboratories for Salmonella in Europe