Why AFNOR Validation certification?
The emergence of these new commercial methods quickly raised the issue of the reliability of the results obtained and whether they correlate with the results of the traditional standardised methods.
In 1989, at the request of the industries and authorities involved, AFNOR set up a system for the certification of commercial methods used in the food industry. This certification was initially called “AFNOR Validation of alternative analysis methods". Since 2005, it has held a community collective mark and an associated logo: the AFNOR VALIDATION mark.
The general conditions under which this mark is granted meet all of the requirements of European regulation (EC) 2073/2005 relating to the microbiological criteria applicable to foodstuffs, thereby automatically giving it European recognition.
At the end of 2006, the scope of application of the AFNOR VALIDATION mark was extended to the microbiological analysis of water, with a first application dedicated to kits for the detection/quantification of Legionella by PCR. The certification rules applicable are identical to those used in the food sector. Only the technical validation protocol is different.
