Example: tourism industry

Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of ...

Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market Authorship Abbreviations These Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological ACC Aerobic colony count Safety of ready-to-eat foods have been revised and BRC British Retail Consortium written by a Health Protection Agency Working Group CFA Chilled Food Association and chaired by Professor Eric Bolton. cfu/g Colony forming units per gram EC European Commission Working Group members EN European Norm Professor Eric Bolton (Chair) EU European Union HPA Regional Microbiology Network FBO Food business operator Dr Christine Little (Secretariat) FSA Food Standards Agency HPA Centre for Infections g Gram Dr Heather Aird GHP Good hygiene practice HPA Regional Microbiology Network HACCP Hazard analysis and critical control point Ms Melody Greenwood HPA Health Protection Agency Microtech Services (Wessex) Ltd HUS Haemolytic uraemic syndrome Dr Jim McLauchlin IBS Irritable bowel syndrome HPA Regional Microbiology Network ISO International Organization for Standardization Dr Richard Meldrum Kg Kilogram NPHS Wales LACORS Local Authorities Co-ordinators Dr Susanne Surman-Lee of Regulatory Services HPA Regional Microbiology Network MAP Modified atmosphere packaging Dr Grahame Tebbutt Mg Milligram HPA Regional Microbiology Network MPN Most probable number Dr Kathie Grant NPHS National Public Health Service for Wales HPA Centre for Infections TTP Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura UHT Ultra

Enforcement Officers. These revised guidelines supersede those previously issued and have a different emphasis focusing on public health and consumer protection. Additional information on the bacteria that cause foodborne disease and those that act as hygiene indicators, on interpretation of test results, comments on

Tags:

  Guidelines, Assessing, Microbiological, Safety, Disease, Foodborne, Foodborne disease, Guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of

Information

Domain:

Source:

Link to this page:

Please notify us if you found a problem with this document:

Other abuse

Transcription of Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of ...

1 Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market Authorship Abbreviations These Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological ACC Aerobic colony count Safety of ready-to-eat foods have been revised and BRC British Retail Consortium written by a Health Protection Agency Working Group CFA Chilled Food Association and chaired by Professor Eric Bolton. cfu/g Colony forming units per gram EC European Commission Working Group members EN European Norm Professor Eric Bolton (Chair) EU European Union HPA Regional Microbiology Network FBO Food business operator Dr Christine Little (Secretariat) FSA Food Standards Agency HPA Centre for Infections g Gram Dr Heather Aird GHP Good hygiene practice HPA Regional Microbiology Network HACCP Hazard analysis and critical control point Ms Melody Greenwood HPA Health Protection Agency Microtech Services (Wessex) Ltd HUS Haemolytic uraemic syndrome Dr Jim McLauchlin IBS Irritable bowel syndrome HPA Regional Microbiology Network ISO International Organization for Standardization Dr Richard Meldrum Kg Kilogram NPHS Wales LACORS Local Authorities Co-ordinators Dr Susanne Surman-Lee of Regulatory Services HPA Regional Microbiology Network MAP Modified atmosphere packaging Dr Grahame Tebbutt Mg Milligram HPA Regional Microbiology Network MPN Most probable number Dr Kathie Grant NPHS National Public Health Service for Wales HPA Centre for Infections TTP Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura UHT Ultra high temperature Acknowledgements UK United Kingdom Drs Robert Mitchell and Satnam Sagoo (HPA Centre for VT Verocytotoxin Infections) for their contribution at an earlier time to VTEC Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli the revision of these Guidelines .

2 Yrs Years Further information For further information on these Guidelines , please contact Dr Jim McLauchlin, HPA Regional Microbiology Network, e-mail: or Citation Health Protection Agency. Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods. London: Health Protection Agency, November 2009. Table of contents Section 1. Introduction 4. Purpose of the Guidelines 4. Scope of the Guidelines 4. Intended use of the Guidelines 4. Commission Regulation on Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs 5. Section 2 Pathogens 6. Introduction 6. Detection of pathogenic micro-organisms in ready-to-eat food 6. Campylobacter species (thermotolerant) 6. Escherichia coli O157 and other verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) 6. Salmonella species 6. Shigella species 6. Vibrio cholerae 7. Enumeration of pathogenic micro-organisms in ready-to-eat food 7. Bacillus cereus 8. Bacillus species (other pathogenic Bacillus) 8. Clostridium perfringens 8. Listeria monocytogenes 8. Staphylococcus aureus and other coagulase-positive staphylococci 9.

3 Vibrio parahaemolyticus 10. foodborne pathogens and risk of disease 10. Specialist and reference tests 10. Section 3 Hygiene Indicator Organisms 12. Introduction 12. Enterobacteriaceae 12. Escherichia coli 12. Listeria species 12. Section 4 Aerobic Colony Counts 14. Introduction 14. ACC levels in various ready-to-eat foods 14. Section 5 Supplementary Advice on Use of the Guidelines 15. Microbiological methodology 15. Environmental samples 16. Section 6 Tables 16. Table 1 Guidance on the interpretation of results for detection of bacterial pathogens (the hazard) in ready-to-eat foods placed on the market 17. Table 2 Guidance on the interpretation of results for enumeration of bacterial pathogens (the hazard). in ready-to-eat foods placed on the market 18. Table 3 Major features of foodborne diseases due to selected pathogens 22. Table 4 Guidance on the interpretation of results for hygiene indicator organisms in ready-to-eat foods placed on the market 24. Table 5 Guidance on the interpretation of results for aerobic colony count levels in various ready-to-eat foods and components placed on the market 26.

4 Glossary 28. References 30. G u i d e l i n e s f o r A s s e s s i n g t h e M i c r o b i o l o g i c a l S a f e t y o f R e a d y - t o - E a t F o o d s P l a c e d o n t h e M a r k e t // 0 3. SECTION 1. in these Guidelines as there is relevant legislation and Introduction guidance that covers this commodity11-14. For some ready-to-eat foods (sampled from production and/or on the market) statutory criteria exist and these food Safety or Purpose of the Guidelines process hygiene criteria are laid down in Regulation (EC). In pursuit of the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) goal of No. 2073/2005 (as amended) including sampling plans, preventing and reducing the incidence and consequences analytical methods, and corrective actions15,16. of infection1, the HPA examines foods from Local and Port Health Authorities to help safeguard consumer health. Local Authorities and Port Health Authorities are These foods include samples submitted for surveillance responsible for food Safety checks on imported foods at and monitoring, for official control purposes, and those points of entry ( Border Inspection Posts and other tested as part of outbreak investigations.)

5 From this work designated Points of Entry). The revised Guidelines also the HPA has accumulated a wealth of data both on the apply to ready-to-eat imported food, including both those Microbiological results and, crucially, on their sourced from within the European Union (EU) as well as interpretation. This information was captured and from countries outside of the EU. promulgated in three previous sets of these guidelines2-4. for practical use by Food Examiners and Local Authority These Guidelines do not take precedence over Enforcement Officers. These revised Guidelines supersede Microbiological criteria within European or national those previously issued and have a different emphasis legislation (see section ) but serve to complement focusing on public health and consumer protection. legally enforceable standards and provide an indication of Additional information on the bacteria that cause the Microbiological Safety for foods where standards foodborne disease and those that act as hygiene currently do not exist.

6 Investigative action is required to indicators, on interpretation of test results, comments on identify and rectify the cause for those foodstuffs not poor practices that are likely to have contributed to compliant with Microbiological food Safety criteria and/or adverse results and suggested appropriate public health where there is a perceived risk to public health. These actions, are now included. Guidelines should therefore not be used to interpret the results of Microbiological parameters which are part of The use of Microbiological criteria as risk management statutory regulations. To safeguard public health, however, tools should only be applied when they can be shown to additional tests on ready-to-eat foods not covered by the be effective and can contribute to the provision of safe regulations may be considered appropriate. Food samples products5-7. Microbiological testing alone cannot taken at producer premises as part of inspections by local guarantee the Safety of food and Microbiological criteria enforcement officers would be expected to give should be used to support Good Hygienic Practice (GHP) satisfactory results for all parameters and any deviation and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) should be investigated.

7 Systems. The food industry has a duty to ensure that micro-organisms are eliminated or minimized to the extent Intended use of the Guidelines that they cannot cause harm to human health8, and These Guidelines are for use by Food Examiners and official controls are in place to audit compliance by food enforcement officers in identifying situations requiring business operators (FBOs)9. investigation for public health or food Safety reasons, and are applicable to the following types of samples: Scope of the Guidelines Samples collected during predefined sampling Food within the scope of the revised Guidelines includes programmes such as the Local Authorities Co-ordinators ready-to-eat food sampled within the retail chain, of Regulatory Services (LACORS)/HPA national retail, wholesale, distribution and food service sectors (as Microbiological food studies17;. defined by Regulation (EC) No. 178/200210). This includes Samples taken at or during food inspections;. food components, such as herbs and spices, where they Samples taken to confirm previous adverse findings in are added to foods without further cooking or processing.

8 Order to determine the scale of Microbiological The Guidelines for pathogens also apply to food poisoning contamination;. investigations in all settings including domestic Samples collected during investigations of suspected environments. Criteria are also applied for bacteria that outbreaks of disease ;. indicate possible poor hygiene and/or substandard Samples submitted after complaints. practices. In some circumstances these Guidelines may also be used to assess more fully the Safety and quality of food All of the types of samples listed above are usually single taken from the producer's premises. Although potable samples and are not associated with any formal sampling water is now defined as food this matrix is not addressed plan. Any follow up studies which require testing under the regulations should be done in accordance with the // 0 4. requirements of the regulations. Follow up testing is best done in conjunction with advice from a Food Examiner18,19. or other appropriately qualified food microbiologist to ensure that the most appropriate testing, which may include environmental sampling, is performed.

9 When using the Microbiological criteria within these Guidelines , the food type concerned (including its intrinsic properties such as pH and water activity, and extrinsic properties such as temperature, packaging, and gas composition), the key processing factors, storage temperature, and shelf-life, should all be considered as well as the sampling framework and selection of Microbiological tests. Commission Regulation on Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs European or national regulations are a legal requirement and compliance is mandatory. Microbiological criteria in the EU have been harmonised in Community legislation by the European Commission (EC) Regulation on Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs ([EC] No. 2073/2005. [as amended]) which came into force in January 200615,16. This supports the Regulation on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs ([EC] No. 852/2004) that also applies from January 20068, and the General Food Law Regulation ([EC] No. 178/2002). that came into force in February 2002, although certain key provisions applied only from January 200510.

10 In addition, the Regulation laying down specific rules for food of animal origin ([EC] No. 853/200420) contains criteria for marine biotoxins, for live bivalve molluscs, and raw milk. Interpretative documents relating to the Regulation on Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs have been produced by the Food Standards Agency (FSA)21 and the Chilled Food Association (CFA) / British Retail Consortium (BRC)22. A definition of standard terms has also been published by the CFA23. These Regulations apply to all FBOs involved in the production and handling of food. Two types of Microbiological criteria are set out in Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 (as amended) and include criteria for both pathogens and indicator organisms: Food Safety criteria defining the acceptability of a product or a batch. They are applicable to foodstuffs placed on the market and throughout the shelf-life of the food. Process hygiene criteria defining the acceptability of the process. These apply only during the manufacturing process.


Related search queries