Consumer Microbiology

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A group of nine smiling people in lab coats standing in a laboratory ^{Consumer Microbiology Group Laboratorians. © DSHS 2024}

What We Do

The Consumer Microbiology Team tests:

Drinking Water

Food and Shellfish

Milk and Dairy Products

Drinking Water Testing The team tests drinking water for the presence of coliforms and Escherichia coli. The presence of coliforms in water, particularly E. coli, indicates the water is contaminated with soil and/or fecal matter and could pose a risk to people’s health.

The team partners with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to test drinking water samples from almost 7,000 municipal public water systems across Texas. The team also accepts samples of well water from the public for coliform and E. coli testing.

Food Testing The DSHS Consumer Microbiology Group routinely carries out regulatory and surveillance testing on various food items submitted by DSHS registered sanitarians. DSHS Meat Safety Assurance Section members collect and submit food samples that contain meat products to the laboratory for testing. DSHS Consumer Protection Division personnel collect and submit non-meat foods for testing. Routinely testing food items for harmful bacteria ensures they are safe for people to eat.

Shellfish Testing The DSHS Seafood and Aquatic Life Group routinely collects and submits seawater samples to the laboratory to monitor the quality of the Texas bay waters where oysters are harvested. The DSHS Consumer Microbiology Group can also carry out fecal coliform testing, Vibrio species identification, and aerobic plate counts on raw oyster samples that are collected by the DSHS Seafood and Aquatic Life Group. Additionally, the Consumer Microbiology Group tests oyster samples for the presence of brevetoxins during red tide events that can affect Texas bay waters where oysters are harvested.

Milk and Dairy Products Testing The Consumer Microbiology Group carries out routine testing of milk and dairy products as part of a national regulatory program to ensure they are safe for people to eat and drink. The group also tests samples of retail raw milk that are submitted by the DSHS Milk Group sanitarians for various pathogens to ensure the milk is safe to drink.

How to Use This Guide

Click on the menu item to quickly navigate to the section of interest.
Note that only drinking (potable) water testing is available to the general public. Please refer to the drinking water submission guidelines for details.
Public Health Sanitarians must collect any other samples submitted to the Consumer Microbiology Group for testing.