Standard 1.6.1 - Microbiological Limits for Food

Issue124(R)1Standard1.6.1STANDARD1.6.1MICROBIOLOGICALLIMITSFORFOODPurposeThisStandardliststhemaximumpermissiblelevelsoffoodbornemicroorganismsthatposearisktohumanhealthinnominatedfoods,orclassesoffoods.ThisStandardincludesmandatorysamplingplans,usedtosamplelotsorconsignmentsofnominatedfoodsorclassesoffoods,andthecriteriafordeterminingwhenalotorconsignmentoffoodposesarisktohumanhealthandthereforeshouldnotbeofferedforsale,orfurtherusedinthepreparationoffoodforsale.ThemicrobiologicalstandardsincludedintheScheduletothisStandardareapplicabletothefoodslistedintheSchedule.TableofProvisions1Interpretation2Application3Samplingoffoodsformicrobiologicalanalysis4Prescribedmethodsofanalysis5MicrobiologicallimitsinfoodScheduleMicrobiologicalstandardsforspecificfoodproductsClauses1InterpretationInthisStandard–cmeansthemaximumallowablenumberofdefectivesampleunitsasspecifiedinColumn4oftheSchedule.defectivesampleunitmeansasampleunitinwhichamicroorganismisdetectedinasampleunitofafoodatalevelgreaterthanm.MmeansthelevelspecifiedinColumn6oftheSchedule,whenexceededinoneormoresampleswouldcausethelottoberejected.mmeanstheacceptablemicrobiologicallevelinasampleunitasspecifiedinColumn5oftheSchedule.microorganismmeansamicrobiologicalagentlistedinColumn2oftheSchedule.nmeanstheminimumnumberofsampleunitswhichmustbeexaminedfromalotoffoodasspecifiedinColumn3oftheScheduleinthisStandard.processedinrelationtoeggproductmeanspasteurisedorsubjectedtoanequivalenttreatment.SPCmeansstandardplatecountat30°Cwithanincubationtimeof72hours.2Application(1)Thefoodslistedincolumn1oftheScheduleinthisStandardmust,subjecttosubclause(2),complywiththemicrobiologicallimitssetinrelationtothatfoodintheSchedule.FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00862Issue124(R)2Standard1.6.1(2)Inthecaseofpowderedinfantformulawithaddedlacticacidproducingcultures,theStandardPlateCount(SPC)microbiologicallimitappliespriortotheadditionofthelacticacidculturestothefood.3Samplingoffoodsformicrobiologicalanalysis(1)Atthepointofsampling,alotofafoodmusthavetakenfromit,nsampleunitsasspecifiedinColumn3oftheScheduleinthisStandard,unlessspecifiedotherwiseinthisStandard.(2)Anauthorisedofficerwhotakesorotherwiseobtainsasampleoffoodforthepurposeofsubmittingitformicrobiologicalanalysis–(a)shallnotdividethatsampleintoseparateparts;and(b)wherethesampleconsistsofoneormorethanonesealedpackageofakindordinarilysoldbyretail,mustsubmitforsuchanalysisthatsampleinthatpackageorthosepackagesinanunopenedandintactcondition.(3)Whereanauthorisedofficertakesorotherwiseobtainsasampleoffoodwhichisthesubjectofasuspectedfoodpoisoningincidentorconsumercomplaint,theresultsofananalysisconductedonsuchfoodarenotinvalidbyreasonthatfewersampleunitsthanprescribedhavebeenanalysedorthatasampleunitanalysedissmallerthanprescribed.4Prescribedmethodsofanalysis(1)Subjecttosubclause(2)andsubclause(3),theAustralian/NewZealandStandardmethodsforFoodMicrobiologyAS/NZS1766,asofthedateofcommencementofthisStandard,mustbeusedtodeterminewhetherafoodhasexceededthemaximumpermissiblelevelsofthefoodbornemicroorganismsspecifiedinrelationtothatfoodintheSchedule.(2)Anyequivalentmethodtothosespecifiedinsubclause(1),asdeterminedbytheprovisionsofAS/NZS4659asofthedateofcommencementofthisStandard,ispermittedtobeusedforthepurposesofthisStandard.(3)TheAustralia/NewZealandStandardMethodsforWaterMicrobiologyAS4276mustbeusedforpackagedwater,packagediceandmineralwater.5MicrobiologicallimitsinfoodAlotofafoodfailstocomplywiththisStandardifthe–(a)numberofdefectivesampleunitsisgreaterthanc;or(b)levelofamicroorganisminafoodinanyoneofthesampleunitsismorethanM.FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00862Issue124(R)3Standard1.6.1SCHEDULEMicrobiologicalcriteria(clause2)Column1Column2Column3Column4Column5Column6FoodMicroorganismncmMButtermadefromunpasteurisedmilkand/orunpasteurisedmilkproductsCampylobacter/25g500Coagulase-positivestaphylococci/g5110102Coliforms/g5110102Escherichiacoli/g5139Listeriamonocytogenes/25g500Salmonella/25g500SPC/g505x105AllcheeseEscherichiacoli/g5110102Softandsemi-softcheese(moisturecontent39%)withpH5.0Listeriamonocytogenes/25g500Salmonella/25g500Allrawmilkcheese(cheesemadefrommilknotpasteurisedorthermised)Listeriamonocytogenes/25g500Salmonella/25g500Rawmilkunripenedcheeses(moisturecontent50%withpH5.0)Campylobacter/25g500DriedmilkSalmonella/25g500UnpasteurisedmilkforretailsaleCampylobacter/25ml500Coliforms/ml51102103Escherichiacoli/ml5139Listeriamonocytogenes/25ml500Salmonella/25ml500SPC/ml512.5x1042.5x105Packagedcookedcured/saltedmeatCoagulase-positivestaphylococci/g51102103Listeriamonocytogenes/25g500Salmonella/25g500PackagedheattreatedmeatpasteandpackagedheattreatedpâtéListeriamonocytogenes/25g500Salmonella/25g500AllcomminutedfermentedmeatwhichhasnotbeencookedduringtheproductionprocessCoagulase-positivestaphylococci/g51103104Escherichiacoli/g513.69.2Salmonella/25g500CookedcrustaceaCoagulase-positivestaphylococci/g52102103Salmonella/25g500SPC/g52105106RawcrustaceaCoagulase-positivestaphylococci/g52102103Salmonella/25g500SPC