scope:

This International Standard defines an evaluation procedure for comparing two methods intended for the detection or quantification of the same target group or species of microorganisms. This International Standard provides the mathematical basis for the evaluation of the average relative performance of two methods against chosen criteria of equivalence. Any two enumeration methods based on counts (of colonies or positive tubes) or any two detection methods [presence/absence (P/A) methods] intended for the same purpose can be compared. This International Standard provides no solution to directly compare a quantitative method (colony count or MPN) with a detection method (P/A).