Demonstrate your lab's testing capabilities with proficiency testing

Proficiency testing (PT) conducted on a regular basis provides lab managers with realistic information about their lab's performance. IFM Quality Services Proficiency Programs offers a systematic method to proficiency testing that ensures consistency over time and among analysts.

In conformity with ISO/IEC (Cert. 3189-02), IFM provides real materials in concentrations and formats that closely resemble the types of samples that customers typically submit. They supply many samples since clients have requested various analyses. Some are positive and some are negative for each of the objectives, implying that analysts cannot give special treatment to any specific sample. This helps to provide an accurate depiction of the laboratory's daily performance.

IFM maintains 3 key accreditations with the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

• ISO/IEC 17025 (Cert. 3189-01) Biological testing
• ISO/IEC 17043 (Cert. 3189-02) Proficiency Testing Provider
• ISO 17034 (Cert. 3189-03) Reference Material Producer

With these accreditations, IFM fully understands the quality criteria that testing facilities must meet. As a result, IFM can create and provide the best available proficiency testing programs and reference materials. The scope of IFM's Proficiency Testing Provider and Reference Material Producer accreditations includes food, water, medicines, environmental, electrical products, medical, and veterinary tests.

Registration for 2025 is now open! Click here to see more.

PT Program List for 2025

Click the links below to see all available programs, sample prep, available tests, as well as enroll by dates and dispatch dates to plan out your proficiency testing for the year.

Interested planning your proficiency testing schedule for future years? Contact your Weber Scientific sales representative and ask for a copy of the IFM Perpetual Schedule to see all programs planned through 2033.

Food Pathogens
Programs available for breakfast foods, desserts, starches, and traditional/festive foods. Tests for Colstridum perfringens, Clostridium spp, Coagulase positive Staphylococcus spp, Enterococcus spp, Listeria monocytongenes, E. coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria spp, and Salmonella spp.

Food Non-Pathogens
Programs available for beverage ingredients, soups, infant formula, and traditional/festive foods. Tests for Plate Count and Anaerobic count, Bacillus cereus, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic acid bacteria, Mold, Coliforms, Pseudomonas spp, Thermotolerant (faecal) Coliforms, and Yeast.

Specialist Food Matrices
Programs available for chocolate, ground beef, and seafood. Tests for Plate Count, Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Mold, Yeast and more.

Carcass Hygiene
Twice a year programs for carcass hygiene. Plate Count, E. coli, Coliforms and Salmonella spp.

Big 6 E.coli
"Big 6" E.coli detection and identification - O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157, plus detection of eae and stx genes.

Extension Microbiology
Programs available for milk powder and other simulated samples. Tests for Enterobacteriaceae, Aerobic and Anaerobic Mesophilic and Thermophilic spores, Total Anaerobic, Cronobacter sakazakii, Campylobacter spp, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp, Yersinia spp, and Yersinia enterocolitica.

Food Factory Hygiene
Programs available for general hygiene checks, gram negative organisms, and gram positive organisms. Tests include Plate count, Anaerobic Count, Mold, Yeast,Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Campylobacter spp, E. coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Colagulase positive Staphylococcus spp, and Clostridium spp.

Potable Water and Beverage
Twice a year programs for drinking water and beverages. Tests for Coliforms, clostridium spp (vegetative), Enterococcus spp, Thermotolerant (faecal) Coliforms, E. coli, Ps. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas spp, Yeast, Mold, Faecal Streptococcus spp, and Coagulase positive Staphylococcus spp.

Environmental Waters
Twice a year programs for environmental water. Tests for Coliforms, Enterococcus spp, E. coli, Ps. Aeruginosa, Yeast, Mold, and Thermotolerant (faecal) Coliforms.
Additional program for sludge available.

Legionella
Programs available for cooling tower water, with an option for detection by filtration methods. Tests for Legionella pneumophila (SG1, SG2-14), Total Legionella pneumophila, Legionella spp, and Total Legionella.

Pharmaceutical, Surgical and Cosmetics
Programs available for cosmetics, lotions, herbal tea preparation, capsules, tablets, and tablet bases. Test for Yeast, Mold, Total Yeast & Mold, Total aerobic microbial count (TAMC), Total combined yeast & mold count (TYMC), and more.

Veterinary
Twice a year veterninary microbiology schemes available. Tests for Antibiotic Sensitivity, Organism Identification, and Biochemical Tests.