Sampling

How it is used

Used for raw materials, finished products, water and environmental swabs. A sampling plan says how many units to take, from where and how often. Microbiological criteria often use n (units tested), c (how many may fall between the limits m and M) and the limits m and M. You take, draw or collect a sample.

Example sentences

1. Sampling is done according to the plan: five cans from every pallet.

2. Poor sampling can miss aflatoxin, because it is not evenly spread through a nut lot.

Common collocations

• sampling plan
• random sampling
• take a sample
• representative sample
• sampling frequency

Related terms

• batchA quantity of product made at one time, under the same conditions and from the same materials, so that it can be identified and traced as one unit.
• quality controlThe checks, measurements and tests carried out on raw materials, products in process and finished goods to make sure they meet the agreed specifications.
• total plate countA laboratory count of all the aerobic bacteria in a sample that grow into colonies on an agar plate, used as a general indicator of hygiene and spoilage.
• specificationA document that sets out the agreed requirements for a raw material, packaging or product, such as composition, chemical and microbiological limits, appearance and packing.
• certificate of analysisA document from a supplier or laboratory that shows the test results for a specific batch and confirms that it meets the agreed specification.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• sampling · Sociology

More terms: Quality Control and Analysis

• sensory evaluation
• texture
• viscosity
• nonconformity