Standards on Microbiology of food and animal feed
European standards and International standards for microbiology of food and animal feed guide their safety quality, preventing illness. Standards regulate pathogens, toxins, and other microbes
European standards and International standards for microbiology of food and animal feed guide their safety quality, preventing illness. Standards regulate pathogens, toxins, and other microbes
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 (ISO 16654:2001)
60.60 Standard published
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food-borne pathogens - General requirements and definitions (ISO 22174:2005)
99.60 Withdrawal effective
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food-borne pathogens - Requirements for sample preparation for qualitative detection (ISO 20837:2006)
99.60 Withdrawal effective
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food-borne pathogens - Requirements for amplification and detection for qualitative methods (ISO 20838:2006)
99.60 Withdrawal effective
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 - Amendment 1: Annex B: Result of interlaboratory studies (ISO 16654:2001/Amd 1:2017)
60.60 Standard published
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection and quantification of food-borne pathogens - Performance characteristics (ISO 22118:2011)
60.60 Standard published
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of food-borne pathogens - General requirements and definitions (ISO 22119:2011)
99.60 Withdrawal effective
Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 - Amendment 2: Inclusion of performance testing of all culture media and reagents (ISO 16654:2001/Amd 2:2023)
60.60 Standard published
The CEN and ISO standards for the microbiology of food and animal feed establish guidelines for microbial testing methodologies to ensure the safety and quality of food products. There are several themes these standards largely revolve around.
Techniques employing real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods form a significant part. An example is the CEN ISO/TS 13136:2012, which provides a detection method for food-borne pathogens—specifically Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Additionally, EN ISO 20837:2006 and EN ISO 20838:2006 outline requirements for sample preparation and amplification and detection for qualitative PCR detection methods respectively.
Some standards target specific pathogen detection—like CEN ISO/TS 6579-2:2012 for Salmonella and EN ISO 16654:2001 for Escherichia coli O157. These guidelines become critical where foodborne illnesses associated with particular pathogens are concerned.
There are also standards providing formulas to estimate the concentration of certain bacteria in a sample, like the enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci (ISO 6888-3:2003) and presumptive Bacillus cereus (ISO 7932:2004).
The standards also cover sampling techniques for collecting representative samples from the primary production stage, such as ISO 13307:2013. Preparation of test samples before microbiological examination is covered under EN ISO 6887-6:2013.
At a broader level, standards like EN ISO 7218:2007 offer general guidelines for conducting microbiological examinations. Here, the emphasis is on establishing best practice for all stages of microbial testing, providing a robust framework to ensure reliability and consistency in testing outcomes.
Other standards focus on specific tests such as ISO 15214:1998 for the enumeration of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria and ISO 21527-1:2008 for enumerating yeasts and moulds in products with high water activity.
In summary, CEN and ISO standards provide the overarching framework for microbiological assessment of food and animal feed. They offer precise methodologies, aiming for reliability, repeatability, and consistency in microbial testing, essential for safe and quality food production worldwide.