Microchem Laboratory Services (Pty) Ltd is a commercial laboratory that specializes in food and food related product analysis. Analyses are inclusive of a variety of microbiological and chemical analysis.

Microchem Laboratory Services’ goal is to provide its clients with a comprehensive service offering to the food and beverage industry within South Africa. The Microbiology Laboratory’s service offering to clients enables our clients to verify that their food, foodstuffs and/or beverage products meet the necessary safety and quality standards.

Microchem Laboratory Services currently employs 28 employees, whom are qualified, experienced and skilled in their relevant fields of expertise.

The laboratory possesses accreditation from The South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) in compliance with ISO 17025:2005. SANAS is recognized by the South African Government as the single National Accreditation Body that gives formal recognition that Laboratories, Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies, Proficiency Testing Scheme Providers and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Testing Facilities, are competent to carry out specific tasks. SANAS certificates are a formal recognition that an organisation is competent to perform specific tasks. 

The laboratory’s Microbiology Department offers a range of microbial analyses inclusive of food spoilage organisms and foodborne pathogens, such as the following: Total Viable Count (TVC), Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, Yeast and Moulds, Lactic Acid Bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Coagulase-positive Staphylococci (Staphylococcus Aureus and Other Species), Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria species and E. coli O157.

The laboratory’s Microbiology Department is in the process of implementing the following analyses:

Verotoxigenic  E. coli (VTEC) by means of a real-time PCR multiplex reaction detecting the genes eaeA, stxI and stxII, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio paraheamolyticus, Campylobacter and Clostridium species.

The laboratory’s Microbiology Department possesses a Class-II Biohazard Laboratory and a PCR Laboratory, both equipped with technologically advanced equipment such as Biorad’s Chromo4, a real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction thermocycler and optical unit. (Raymond Hartley)