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TEST METHOD
Quantitative Carrier Test for the Evaluation of Bactericidal and Yeasticidal, and/or Fungicidal Activity in the Medical Area
EN 17387 is the latest European Standard used to evaluate the bactericidal and yeasticidal and/or fungicidal activity of disinfectants used in the medical area.
The infographic below provides a brief overview of the EN 17387 test method.
Understanding EN 17387 Testing
Application areas
This test method is only suitable for surface disinfectants used without mechanical action. If your product requires a wiping action, please choose EN 16615.
Test Protocol
Step 1: A test suspension containing the selected microorganisms and interfering substance is inoculated onto a non-porous stainless-steel test surface and allowed to dry.
Step 2: The customer product is applied to completely cover the dried microorganisms and is maintained for the selected contact time and test temperature.
Step 3: After the contact time, the test surface is transferred into a validated neutralizer to stop the disinfectant activity. The surviving microorganisms are recovered, plated and incubated, and the log reduction is calculated by comparison with the water control.
The test protocol is performed under the specified conditions according to the product category, intended application, contact time and test conditions.
Test Microorganisms
These are the mandatory test organisms for bactericidal, yeasticidal and/or fungicidal activity:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Enterococcus hirae
- Candida albicans
- Aspergillus brasiliensis
Wish to add more microorganisms? Click here for our full list of microorganisms.
Contact Time & Concentration
The test concentration is chosen according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
The recommended by the test method is a minimum of 1 minute with a maximum of 5 minutes or 60 minutes depending on the practicality of the product use.
The customer can choose different contact time based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Soiling Conditions
Interfering substances, or commonly referred to as soiling, are used to mimic organic substances found on human skin, surfaces, and instruments. These are the available soiling conditions according to the test method:
- Clean condition: 0.3 g/L bovine serum albumin
- Dirty condition: 3.0 g/L bovine serum albumin and 3.0 ml/L sheep erythrocytes
Need help with your testing requirements?
Have questions about this test method or your product? Our technical team is here to assist you.