Microorganisms maximum limit in instant coffee

Hello, I want to sell instant coffee to Macau and I'm try to search for the limit of microorganisms they require to test it before I ship it to my customer. So does anyone know the limit or anywhere to find the limit list?

I try to find in Legal Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao S.A.R.) but it only has limit for Powdered Infant Formulae and Milk Product. Pls help me.

Hi Baohan88,

Can’t help with Macau I’m afraid but there is some info in this topic: Ground, instant coffee microbiology testing and regulated limits

Kind regards,

Tony

Macao doesn't have any national requirements except for the 10 ppb limit on ochratoxin A (and as far as I can determine neither does China).

It is generally recommended to use industry standards where no legal limits exist, but it's obviously a good idea to check which limits your intended customers are using (salmonella is an additional legal limit from the EU). You don't want to use an industry standard only to find out your customer uses stricter limits.

Total Plate Count (TPC): ≤ 1,000 CFU/g (1×10³)  

Yeasts & Moulds: ≤ 100 CFU/g  

Coliforms: ≤ 10 CFU/g  

E. coli: Not detected in 1 g  

Salmonella: Absent in 25 g  

Staphylococcus aureus: ≤ 100 CFU/g or Not detected  

Bacillus cereus: ≤ 100 CFU/g  

Ochratoxin A (chemical contaminant): ≤ 10 µg/kg (EU limit for soluble coffee)

China's beverage standard GB7101-2022 specifies requirements for total bacterial count, coliform bacteria, and mould detection indicators.