cen:proj:70763

Soil improvers and growing media — Enumeration of Enterococcaceae cen:proj:70763

Scope

This document specifies a method for the enumeration of enterococci in soil improvers, soil improver blends, growing media and growing media blends. This document applies to material in solid form (including pre-shaped growing media) and liquid form.

Enterococci are part of the Enterococcaceae family. Enterococcaceae as the entire family cannot be detected, and is not detected by this method.

This document specifies a colony-count technique on a selective medium (Slanetz-Bartley agar) with confirmation on Bile Esculin Azide (BEA) agar.

In case a given limit value (for example, the limit values given for soil improvers and growing media in the European Fertilising Products Regulation [2]) is reached, the confirmation step shall be performed.

NOTE This method has been validated in an interlaboratory study with specific products that were available on the market during the study (Annex C). Products can change over time regarding their microbial composition and other characteristics, and the formulation of the products may also change in the future.

Related legislation

Legislation related to this standard