Microbiology

The working group "Microbiological guideline and warning values" of the DGHM (German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology) has adopted a recommendation for frozen fruit and two drafts for dried fruit/fruit powder and dried mushrooms.

 

For frozen fruit, the draft from August was adopted at the last meeting of the working group in November and from now on can only be obtained as a "recommendation" for a fee from Beuth-Verlag. We had already informed you about this and other drafts of the working group in the AGROLAB RADAR October issue.

 

2.5 Guideline and warning values for raw lamb, not minced, not marinated (except giblets)

(DRAFT recommendation of 26.8.21, adopted 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g)

Alert value (cfu/g)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

5 x 106

 

Enterobacteriaceae

1 x 104

1 x 105

E. coli

5 x 102

5 x 103

Pseudomonas, presumtive a)

1 x 106

 

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Shigatoxin forming E.coli, b)

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Salmonella

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenes c)

 

< 1 x 102

a) If the guideline value is exceeded, the sensory evaluation must be included in the assessment.

b) For lamb fillets and lamb steaks

c) For the testing and assessment of Listeria monocytogenes, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, shall be followed.

 

 

12.4 Guideline and warning values for frozen fruit (DRAFT recommendation of 26.8.21, adopted 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g)

Alert value (cfu/g)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

5 x 105

 

E. coli

1 x 101

1 x 102

Yeasts

1 x 104

 

Moulds

1 x 103

 

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Bacillus cereus, presumptive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Salmonella

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenesa)

 

1 x 102

a) For the testing and assessment of Listeria monocytogenes, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, shall be followed.

 

For strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries (and soft fruit mixtures), testing for absence in 20g for Noro and Hepatitis A viruses was also recommended.

 

YOUR PLUS: At our laboratory location AGROLAB Dr. Blasy-Dr.Busse in Eching a.A. we are one of the few private laboratories in Germany to carry out testing for the pathogenic food viruses mentioned. Each AGROLAB food laboratory accepts your test order and arranges for internal subcontracting.

 

New draft for indicative and warning values were proposed for:

 

1.2 Indicative and warning values for powdered milk-based infant formulae other than infant formulae within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005

(DRAFT recommendation of 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g)

Alert value (cfu/g)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count a)

5 x 102

 

Enterobacteriaceae

1 x 100

1 x 101

E. coli

 

Not detectable in 1 g

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

1 x 102

Not detectable in 1 g

Bacillus cereus, presumptive

5 x 101

5 x 102

Clostridium perfringens

1 x 100

1 x 101

Salmonella b)

 

Not detectable in 125 g

Listeria monocytogenes c,d

 

Not detectable in 250 g

a) Microorganisms added for their probiotic potency are not taken into account.

b) The 125 g are made up of five samples of 25 g each, taken from different places on the same sample. locations of the same sample.
c)The 250 g shall be composed of ten samples of 25 g each, taken at different places on the same sample. places on the same sample.

d) For the testing and assessment of Listeria monocytogenes, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, shall be followed.

 

2.4 Indicative and warning values for unseasoned and seasoned minced meat of pork and/or beef at commercial level

(DRAFT recommendation of 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g)

Alert value (cfu/g)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

5 x 106

 

Enterobacteriaceae

1 x 104

1 x 105

E. coli (unseasoned)

1 x 102

1 x 103

E. coli (seasoned t)

5 x 102

5 x 103

Pseudomonads

1 x 106

 

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

5 x 102

5 x 103

STEC/EHEC a)

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Themophilic Campylobacter b)

 

Not detectable in 10 g

Salmonella c)

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenes d)

 

1      x 102

 a) made from beef for raw consumption

b) of pork for raw consumption

c) Legal regulations may prescribe other testing quantities.

d) For the testing and assessment of Listeria monocytogenes, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, shall be followed.

 

5.7 Indicative and warning values for Hot-smoked fish products, whole fish and cuts with or without skin (DRAFT recommendation of 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g)

Alert value (cfu/g)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

1 x 106

 

Enterobacteriaceae (whole fish)

1 x 103

1 x 104

Enterobacteriaceae (parts)

1 x 104

1 x 105

E. coli

1 x 101

1 x 102

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Salmonella

 

Not detectable in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenes a)

 

1 x 102

a) For the testing and assessment of Listeria monocytogenes, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, shall be followed.

 

6.3 Indicative and warning values for dried mushrooms (except boletus)

(DRAFT recommendation of 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g) b)

Alert value (cfu/g) b)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

1 x 106

 

Enterobacteriaceae

1 x 104

1 x 105

E. coli

1 x 101

1 x 102

Moulds

1 x 105

 

Staphylococci, coagulase-positive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Bacillus cereus, presumptive

1 x 102

1 x 103

Clostridium perfringens

1 x 103

1 x 104

Salmonella

 

Not detectable in 25 g

b) Values apply to final consumers

 

11.2 Indicative and warning values for dried fruit incl. sultanas and fruit powder

(DRAFT recommendation of 25.11.21)

 

 

Indicative value (cfu/g) b)

Alert value (cfu/g) b)

Aerobic mesophilic bacterial count

1 x 105

 

Enterobacteriaceae

1 x 103

1 x 104

E. coli

1 x 101

1 x 102

Moulds c)

1 x 104

 

Bacillus cereus, presumptive

5 x 102

1 x 103

Salmonella

 

Not detectable in 125 g

c) only mycelium-forming fungi, no yeasts.

 

The recommendations of the DGHM are not binding. Drafts of new recommendations are published for comment on the DGHM website, to which we hereby refer as a source for the above tables. The DGHM recommendations may deviate from the original drafts. After publication, they can only be obtained for a fee from Beuth-Verlag.

 

YOUR PLUS:

When assessing microbiological findings, we follow the recommendations of the DGHM if no other legal rules apply and display these on our analysis reports as additional information for our customers.

 

 

 

Links: https://www.dghm.org/entwuerfe/

          https://www.beuth.de/

 

 

 

 

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger