key Update 

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), operating under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has officially released a new set of Indian Standards aimed at strengthening quality and safety across three critical sectors: water quality and food chain microbiology. These standards will come into force on August 26, 2025, with some outdated standards scheduled for withdrawal by February 26, 2026.

Stronger Water Quality Standards Based on ISO Norms

BIS has also introduced new standards for microbiological testing in water, based on globally recognised ISO benchmarks. These aim to improve the detection of pathogens and ensure safer water for public and industrial use. Key additions include:

• IS 19200:2025 – Based on ISO 15553:2006
  For detecting Cryptosporidium and Giardia
• IS 19333 (Part 1):2025 – Based on ISO 16266:2006
  Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the membrane filtration method
• IS 19333 (Part 2):2025 – Based on ISO 16266-2:2018
  Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the MPN (Most Probable Number) method
• IS 19338:2025 – Based on ISO 29201:2012
  Guidelines for assessing variability and uncertainty in microbiological methods
• IS 19342:2025 – Based on ISO 17995:2019
  Detection of Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp.
• IS 19352:2025 – Based on ISO/TS 12869:2019
  Detection of Legionella bacteria using quantitative PCR (qPCR)

These standards will play a crucial role in public health protection, ensuring the microbiological safety of drinking water and processed water in industrial applications.

New Microbiological Standards for the Food Chain

In a significant move for food safety, BIS has published new standards to improve microbial testing across the food production and agriculture sectors. These are also based on ISO technical specifications. New inclusions are:

• IS 18349 (Part 2):2025 – Based on ISO 15213-2:2023
  Enumeration of Clostridium perfringens, a common foodborne pathogen
• IS 18349 (Part 3):2025 – Based on ISO/TS 15213-3:2024
  Detection of Clostridium perfringens
• IS 19353:2025 – Based on ISO/TS 17728:2015
  Guidelines for sampling techniques in food and feed microbiology

These updates strengthen India’s capacity for microbial risk assessment in food processing, storage, and agriculture—ensuring safer food from farm to fork.

Source: Foodtech News