Selection and application of methods for the detection and enumeration of human-pathogenic halophilic vibrio spp. in seafood: guidance. Microbiological risk assessment series, 22

One of the challenges in undertaking global risk assessments for halophilic Vibrio spp. has been the availability of appropriate datasets from around the world. Such datasets need to be representative of the range of conditions under which halophilic Vibrio spp. grow and become a problem for seafood safety. Even when data are available, the different methodology used to generate that data often make it difficult to compare and consolidate globally representative datasets. This document is intended to provide guidance to inform the selection of the most appropriate methods to generate data on Vibrio spp. in seafood. It considers the range of potential methods from culture based to molecular, and proposes the use of performance characteristics to select the most appropriate method according to the potential end use of the data generated, for example, harvest area monitoring, post-harvest process verification, end product monitoring, and outbreak investigation. Aspects of data requirements that could support national and regional risk assessments are also addressed