An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods and Food Ingredients

The safety and quality of the U.S. food supply depend on a total program of careful microbiological control. Microbiological criteria, which establish acceptable levels of microorganisms in foods and food ingredients, are an essential part of such a program. Says ASM News, "This book provides not only an informed and objective evaluation of microbiological criteria for a wide variety of foods and specific pathogens and the committee's recommendations regarding those criteria, but it also provides an excellent reference book on the applied microbiological aspects of food quality assurance."Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive SummaryRecommendations1 Introduction2 Definitions, Purposes, and Needs for Microbiological Criteria3 Selection of Foods for Criteria Related to Safety4 Selection of Pathogens as Components of Microbiological Criteria5 Selection of Indicator Organisms and Agents as Components ofMicrobiological Criteria6 Consideration of Sampling Associated With a Criterion7 Consideration of Decision (Action) to be Taken When a Criterion(Limit) is Exceeded8 Current Status of Microbiological Criteria and Legislative Bases9 Application of Microbiological Criteria to Foods and FoodIngredients10 Expansion of the HACCP System in Food Protection Programs11 Plans of Action for Implementation of the HACCP System and ofMicrobiological Criteria for Foods and Food IngredientsAppendixesA Summary Responses to Specific Contract ItemsB General Principles for the Establishment and Application ofMicrobiological Criteria for FoodsC International Microbiological SpecificationsD Excerpts from the Regulations Pursuant to the Food and Drugs Act,a Statute of the Government of CanadaE Microbiological Criteria for Foods Purchased by the MilitaryF Raw Milk--An EditorialG Report of the WHO/ICMSF Meeting on Hazard Analysis: CriticalControl Point System in Food HygieneIndex