Change to BS ISO Standards
I realise that standards do need to be updated from time to time. But as all of us know we have to hold these standards as part of the laborator accreditations. We also have to hold the current standard and this comes at a cost.
The example I am using is the British Standard – BS EN ISO 13720 : 2010 30/09/2010 the latest for Pseudomonas or more accurately Presumptive Pseudomonas which replaces the BS7857 : Part 1 1996 ISO 13720:1995 which is actually quite old now.
So the first change is obvious a ‘Presumptive’ has been added
Also tolerances to the incubation temperature have been added (+/-1˚C) which we have all been applying anyway to other methods.
A slight difference to the incubation temperature from a standard 48 hours to 44 +/- 4 now again most laboratories would have been applying the +/-4 anyway to the 48 hours. I have not seen the data on the difference between 44 +/-4 and 48 +/-4 so I cannot comment on the difference it would make.
As we are now Presumptive the use of Kligler Agar has been removed, I am not sure how many laboratories out there were using this anyway. Maybe you can let me know?
If two or more successive dilutions used only one plate required if only one dilution used then two plates required, I also think that this would be fairly common practice as well.
The new standard has just cost £86.00, not a vast amount I suppose, but does that cost really reflect the changes that have been made?
FoodWorld 
I find it is often difficult to ascertain what the changes to an ISO method are (on the BSI website) before you buy it too. I also think the costs for these documents seem disproportionate to the size of them – especially when they are often purchased as pdf files – but what can you do?
Hi Kirsty,
I will bring it up at UKAMA as there is usually a representative from BSI there.