Microbiological Criteria Regulation is the common name for Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, which sets legally binding microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, distinguishing food safety criteria from process hygiene criteria and prescribing the sampling plans and analytical methods that must be applied.
In trade practice
Food safety criteria, such as those for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, must be met before a product is placed on the market; a result exceeding the criterion requires the batch to be withdrawn or destroyed. Process hygiene criteria indicate whether the production process is functioning acceptably and trigger corrective action rather than automatic rejection. Laboratories testing frozen berries, dried fruit or nut products must follow the sampling plans and reference methods specified in the regulation’s annexes. Buyers often request certificates of analysis referencing these criteria as part of shipment documentation.
In a specification
Product specifications should reference Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 as the governing instrument for microbiological limits and should state the required sampling plan category and testing frequency for each criterion applicable to the product.