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TEST METHOD
Quantitative Carrier Test for the Evaluation of Bactericidal and Fungicidal Activity in Food, Industrial, Domestic, and Institutional Areas
EN 13697 is the European Standard used to evaluate the bactericidal and fungicidal activity of disinfectants used in food, industrial, domestic, and institutional areas.
The infographic below provides a brief overview of the EN 13697 test method.
Understanding EN 13697 Testing
Application areas
This test method is suitable for surface disinfectants used without mechanical action.
For products that require a wiping action, refer to EN 16615.
Test Protocol
Step 1: The test suspension is inoculated onto a sterile stainless steel disc and allowed to dry.
Step 2: The customer product is applied to the inoculated stainless steel disc and allowed to remain for the selected contact time.
Step 3: After the contact time, the stainless steel disc is transferred into a sterile neutralizer to stop the antimicrobial activity.
Step 4: After the required neutralization time, 1 mL of the neutralized mixture is plated and incubated. The surviving colonies are then enumerated.
Test Microorganisms
These are the mandatory test organisms:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Enterococcus hirae
- Escherichia coli
- Candida albicans
- Aspergillus brasiliensis
Wish to add more microorganisms? Click here for our full list of microorganisms.
Contact Time & Concentration
The test concentration and contact time is chosen according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
According to the test method, the contact time shall be between 1 minute and 60 minutes.
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
Need help with your testing requirements?
Have questions about this test method or your product? Our technical team is here to assist you.