Microbiological Guidelines for Ready-to-eat Food
According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international food standard setting authority, the functions of microbiological guidelines
include formulation of design requirements, indication of required and expected microbiological status of the food commodities, and the verification
of efficacy of hygienic practice.
In 2002, under the advice of the Expert Panel on Microbiological Safety of Food, an expert group set up to advise the Director of Food and
Environmental Hygiene, a set of microbiological guidelines for ready-to-eat food has been developed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
These guidelines stipulate the safety limits of nine major food borne pathogens such as Salmonella species, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and Vibrio cholerae, as well as providing a classification of microbiological quality of ready-to-eat food for reflecting the hygienic status of the food concerned.
In light of changing needs and latest expert views, the guidelines were revised in 2007. The revision mainly includes textural amendment of the
Guidelines and revising the microbiological limits for Listeria monocytogenes, making reference to international practices.
With the microbiological limits explicitly set, it serves to facilitate the trade in devising measures to improve their food safety practices and to assist
officers in monitoring and control of food safety. Based on the specified limits and classification of respective ready-to-eat food items as provided in the Guidelines, the food trade can draw up relevant food control plans and focus on the priority control measures.
