Consumer Microbiology Testing at the DSHS Laboratory
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Bacteriological Testing of Water and Food by the Consumer Microbiology Group
Only potable (drinking) water testing is available to the general public. All other samples for testing (food, dairy, milk, shellfish) must be submitted by Public Health Sanitarians. Additional details on water testing are available in the DSHS test menu directory.
Potable Water Testing
Members of the public may submit or deliver potable (drinking) water samples to the Laboratory for testing. Water is tested for the presence of coliforms and Escherichia coli. More details on the test are available on the potable water testing page.
| Test | Method | Acceptable Results |
|---|---|---|
|
Drinking Water |
Colilert | No coliforms found/No E. coli found |
Food Testing
Food is tested by the Consumer Microbiology Group upon request of DSHS, local, city, or county health departments, and hospitals. The Laboratory does not accept or test food items from the public. Food submitted by the public will not be tested. All food testing is carried out using standard methods that follow the FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual, 8th Edition.
| Tests | Methods |
|---|---|
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General specimen/sample submission guidance for all testing carried out by the Laboratory is available on DSHS’ specimen submission and shipping requirements pages.
