Microbiological criteria for food and drink

A new member-funded research project will provide much-needed guidance and advice on what levels of microorganisms would be acceptable in different foodstuffs.

Acceptable levels of microorganisms in foods and drinks and the methods used to determine them are important aspects of any product specification. Campden BRI Guideline 52 was written to help food companies formulate a microbiological criterion. However, it does not give guidance on what microbiological criteria for different foods might look like. A small number of advisory guidance documents have been written by various bodies that suggest acceptable/unacceptable thresholds for microbiological counts in foodstuffs. These documents are extensively used throughout the food industry, but are now quite dated and most were produced before EC Regulation 2073/2005 came into being. This Regulation contains microbiological limits for various foods which are set in law, and so it is essential that what it says is taken into account.

The primary objective of the project will be to produce an up-to-date microbiological criterion guidance document, drawing together criteria from all available sources. The work will be guided and directed by a Consultative Group of interested companies – please contact us if you would like to be involved.

Contact: Phil Voysey
+44(0)1386 842069
phil.voysey@campdenbri.co.uk