EU Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 - Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs

What it says

This Regulation lays down microbiological criteria for certain microorganisms and rules that food business operators must comply with when implementing their food safety management procedures. It sets food safety criteria, such as for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in specified foods, and process hygiene criteria, with sampling plans and analytical methods, and requires action when results are unsatisfactory.

Paraphrased for plain-language clarity. Always verify against the current published regulation text.

What it means in practice

• A food safety criterion applies to products on the market, so an unsatisfactory result can lead to withdrawal or recall.
• A process hygiene criterion indicates the process is not under control, so the operator must take corrective action.
• Operators must decide how often to test, in line with their HACCP-based procedures, and must act on the results.

What inspectors look for

• Whether sampling and testing are done as the criteria and the operator's procedures require.
• Whether results are assessed against the criteria and acted upon.
• Whether unsatisfactory results led to withdrawal, recall or corrective action.

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