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)

2 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 .

3 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.

4 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. 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.

5 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.

6 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. 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).

7 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. From this work designated Points of Entry).

8 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.

9 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. 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.

10 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.