Micro. Guidelines for Food Contact Surfaces

Dear All,

I previously posted a table of various micro. guidelines for food contact surfaces which were mostly issued pre-2000 at this link –

http://www.ifsqn.com...dpost__p__22352

To update the earlier info., the attached excel file presents guideline data I have accumulated for 12 countries issued in the period 2000 – 2012. The compilation demonstrates that for a range of food-related scenarios, some “average” opinions for various (just) cleaned surfaces are –

(a) For Aerobic Plate Count (APC) - the majority of data suggests that, for routine cleaning/sanitising, surfaces typically have maximum APC counts in the range 10-100cfu/cm2 .
(b) For factors like Coliform, (generic) E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, S.aureus, the expected maxima are, predictably, low, eg 1-10 cfu/cm2, or undetected. The latter requirement also invariably applies for “zero-tolerance” pathogenic microbial species.

Hopefully of some interest. Further input / comments welcome as usual.

Compilation of International Micro. Guidelines for food contact surfaces, 2000 onwards.xls   993KB   8034 downloads

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear All,

I previously posted a table of various micro. guidelines for food contact surfaces which were mostly issued pre-2000 at this link –

http://www.ifsqn.com...dpost__p__22352

To update the earlier info., the attached excel file presents guideline data I have accumulated for 12 countries issued in the period 2000 – 2012. The compilation demonstrates that for a range of food-related scenarios, some “average” opinions for various (just) cleaned surfaces are –

(a) For Aerobic Plate Count (APC) - the majority of data suggests that surfaces should have maximum APC counts in the range 10-100cfu/cm2 .
(b) For factors like Coliform, (generic) E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, S.aureus, the expected maxima are, predictably, low, eg 1-10 cfu/cm2, or undetected. The latter requirement also invariably applies for “zero-tolerance” pathogenic microbial species.

Hopefully of some interest. Further input / comments welcome as usual.

Compilation of International Micro. Guidelines for food contact surfaces, 2000 onwards.xls   993KB   8034 downloads

Rgds / Charles.C

Thankyou for the information. Its very useful!

dear charles.c,

Thanks for your information. anyway, what is the limit range for those in used equipment?

For coliform and e.coli, do we have the standard in MPN unit?

 

dear charles.c,

 

Thanks for your information. anyway, what is the limit range for those in used equipment?

 

For coliform and e.coli, do we have the standard in MPN unit?

 

 

Dear khc,

Yr first query is sort of unanswerable without more context. For example, Cleaned/sanitised, uncorroded, SS tables should be equatable to the the broad APC ranges mentioned. Presumably if you spend all day C/S, the results may be better. :smile:

Yr second query will depend on the method of course. I don't remember seeing any dilution-type data for the limits quoted but not impossible. For cleaned situations, the E.coli, S.aureus limits  are often simply "not detected/given area".

Rgds / Charles.C

PS- for those sufficiently interested, this post/previous were vaguely corollaries to -

http://www.ifsqn.com...ing/#entry67240

Hello there!!! I'm new around here, and I have some doubts...

I've seen in some articles (here in Brazil, mostly) that APHA's guidelines for microbiological contamination of hands and 

surfaces that could be in contact to food can't get above 10^2 CFU/sq. cm. 

However, I've not found this information right from the source, I mean directly from APHA.

I can't find any document that could embase my researches.

I work at a milk processment industry, and we are determining the parameters for monitoring it,

and I need to embase the informations I'm gonna use.

Could someone show me the web adress, or post any document that I could

to use for this purpose?

Thanks,

Marciel

Dear marcielrf

Assuming that Indian standards are acceptable to you -

EIC_guidlines.pdf   852.42KB   1971 downloads

(pg19)

Rgds / Charles.C

I owe thanks to you ( charles)  , realy it is an emazing job from you , intrested guidlines that (on Excel Sheet) .

Big Thanks

Hygienic

Really awesome information great job ....here i find like food contact surfaces

Hi there....

I am searching for EU limits for TVC of surface swabs and hands.

Any EU guideline or regulations which i can refer for food contact surfaces/hands? 

thanx

Hi there....

I am searching for EU limits for TVC of surface swabs and hands.

Any EU guideline or regulations which i can refer for food contact surfaces/hands? 

 

thanx

Dear ablho,

As suggested by data in post #1, i think there are no official EU-wide limits. Like most other diverse areas.

The nearest equivalent used to be some APC / coliform limits for meat processing tables but i think subsequently rescinded.

Rgds / Charles.C

Hi Thank you for the standard.

The excel that you gave is really helpful, do you have references for that so that we may read about it.

I really need where that references comes from.

Wishing you all will reply :)

Hi Thank you for the standard.

The excel that you gave is really helpful, do you have references for that so that we may read about it.

 

I really need where that references comes from.

 

 

Wishing you all will reply :)

Dear caich arine,

Unfortunately there were too many sources / cross-links / abstracts to list. Sorry.

Rgds / Charles.C

Hi Charles C.

Do you have atleast 1 or 2 list?

Dear Charles.C,

Appreciate much for the compilation which really serves as a good reference.

Thank you

Dear All,

I previously posted a table of various micro. guidelines for food contact surfaces which were mostly issued pre-2000 at this link –

http://www.ifsqn.com...dpost__p__22352

To update the earlier info., the attached excel file presents guideline data I have accumulated for 12 countries issued in the period 2000 – 2012. The compilation demonstrates that for a range of food-related scenarios, some “average” opinions for various (just) cleaned surfaces are –

(a) For Aerobic Plate Count (APC) - the majority of data suggests that surfaces should have maximum APC counts in the range 10-100cfu/cm2 .
(b) For factors like Coliform, (generic) E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, S.aureus, the expected maxima are, predictably, low, eg 1-10 cfu/cm2, or undetected. The latter requirement also invariably applies for “zero-tolerance” pathogenic microbial species.

Hopefully of some interest. Further input / comments welcome as usual.

Compilation of International Micro. Guidelines for food contact surfaces, 2000 onwards.xls

Rgds / Charles.C

I would like to thank you for these useful information you've shared with us. :)

This is excellent information.

Thank you for this informative post.

Dear All,

I previously posted a table of various micro. guidelines for food contact surfaces which were mostly issued pre-2000 at this link –

http://www.ifsqn.com...dpost__p__22352

To update the earlier info., the attached excel file presents guideline data I have accumulated for 12 countries issued in the period 2000 – 2012. The compilation demonstrates that for a range of food-related scenarios, some “average” opinions for various (just) cleaned surfaces are –

(a) For Aerobic Plate Count (APC) - the majority of data suggests that surfaces should have maximum APC counts in the range 10-100cfu/cm2 .
(b) For factors like Coliform, (generic) E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, S.aureus, the expected maxima are, predictably, low, eg 1-10 cfu/cm2, or undetected. The latter requirement also invariably applies for “zero-tolerance” pathogenic microbial species.

Hopefully of some interest. Further input / comments welcome as usual.

Compilation of International Micro. Guidelines for food contact surfaces, 2000 onwards.xls

Rgds / Charles.C

Charles,

May I ask what is your background in the field?

I am using the reference materials you have posted as our internal reference for QA department. Thank you!

Hi jtang,

Thanks for the comment.  Food QA via chemistry - it pays the rent. :smile:

Dear Charles,

Thank you so much for the effort to compile useful information in the excel sheet.

Regards,
Sau  Mei

Muchas gracias, Charles :)