Micro Testing Limits
Morning all,
I'm looking at our sampling plan for our products manufactured on site and have been looking around on the FSA website for some kind of black and white clarification about the targets we should be setting oursleves. It all seems a bit vague and doesn't seem to give any answer to what the maximum legal amount of any bacteria should be. With this in mind is it totally down to us to decide what is and isn't acceptable? 0 Listeria in RTE products is a given but as for anything else (e.g. Staph/Bacillus Cereus) do we come up with that ourselves based on our knowledge of the bug?
For a bit of background the products we send for testing are prepared (peeled, sliced, diced, batoned etc) vegetables and salads, some vac packed, some zip locked. Some are ready to eat and some require further processing by way of either washing or cooking.
Any help would be appreciated.
Andy
Thanks for this Charles, I'll have a proper read trough it when I get some spare time!
Thanks for this Charles, I'll have a proper read trough it when I get some spare time!
Hi andy,
Yes, I agree it’s a bit of an eyeful and occasionally wanders around a bit although a genuine goldmine of micro.thoughts/data.
You might find it quicker to scan through its (2000) PHLS predecessor which is IMO more compact (eg the neat product table on Pg 166) but pre-dated the necessity of harmonising with some EC opinions/concepts in their own RTE micro. compilation issued ca 2005.
My guess is that 75% of the numerical content in the PHLS document is the same/similar but any numerical differences/rankings in the HPA document will presumably take priority. Pre-Brexit anyway.
UK RTE micro guide, PHLS,2000.pdf 138.57KB 71 downloads
We have microbiological limits laid down by IFSA for airline catering.
Hope it will of help
IFSA 2015 Microbiological guidelines.pdf 894.67KB 69 downloads
We have microbiological limits laid down by IFSA for airline catering.
Hope it will of help
Hi nile,
Thks for the extract, the current 4th ed. is available here -
http://www.ifsanet.c...orld_Guidelines
The table shown offhand looks pretty much identical to that in the 3rd edition which is attached -
IFSA, 3rd ed,2010.pdf 11.24MB 291 downloads
PS - JFI note that some of the guidelines would be absolute borderline for HPA
Hi andy,
Yes, I agree it’s a bit of an eyeful and occasionally wanders around a bit although a genuine goldmine of micro.thoughts/data.
You might find it quicker to scan through its (2000) PHLS predecessor which is IMO more compact (eg the neat product table on Pg 166) but pre-dated the necessity of harmonising with some EC opinions/concepts in their own RTE micro. compilation issued ca 2005.
My guess is that 75% of the numerical content in the PHLS document is the same/similar but any numerical differences/rankings in the HPA document will presumably take priority. Pre-Brexit anyway.
You're right about the doc being a goldmine of info.
For those who are interested and are having the same issues as me, skipping to "Section 6- Tables" has proved to be really useful!
Good day!
Your FDA will surely have microbiological guidelines for different processed products. It includes maximum limits and the acceptance/rejection criteria. If you are exporting it to another country, you might as well check the microbiological guidelines that they require.
Yvette
Hi Yvette,
Here the FSA do have a published criteria document which was posted on this thread by Charles.C recently. It wasn't something I'd ever found online before so can't say whether other food authorities from other countries have the same but I'd imagine they do.
Andy
Good day!
Your FDA will surely have microbiological guidelines for different processed products. It includes maximum limits and the acceptance/rejection criteria. If you are exporting it to another country, you might as well check the microbiological guidelines that they require.
Yvette
Hi Yvette,
As discussed in several threads on this Forum, detailed Global info. such as you refer is seemingly not available in a compiled form.
2-3 decades ago FAO did issue such a compilation and i recall an enormous Tabulation was once publicly accessible on an official European website but afaik no longer available.
The conclusion here was that info. on micro. limits is both detailed and readily available for Certain Countries/Certain Products and the opposite for many other locations. (Afaik the Philippines happens to fall in the former Category).
Additionally IMEX the interpretation/implementation/legal consequences of micro. limits where published can vary enormously with location.
I do agree that the existence of such a Compilation would be of great value.