Food safety is a priority not only for consumers and producers but also for regulatory authorities. Therefore, laws define the necessary safety criteria that all food products must meet.
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for food establishes uniform safety standards for assessing foods in relation to pathogenic microorganisms. This enhances public health protection and prevents inconsistent interpretations. This regulation and its amendments set harmonized criteria for food safety regarding certain pathogenic microorganisms. These criteria also serve to verify and validate HACCP procedures and other hygiene control measures.
Guidelines for microbiological food safety aimed at the end consumer complement the microbiological criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005. These guidelines, as a measure of process adequacy and food safety, are primarily intended for food business operators who produce, process, and sell food products. Based on the above legal acts, we distinguish between:
Food Safety Criteria-These are requirements that determine the acceptability of a product or a batch of food that is already placed on the market. They include:
– Salmonella (including serogroups Typhimurium and Enteritidis),
– Listeria monocytogenes,
– Cronobacter,
– Escherichia coli,
– Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157, O26, O111, O103, O145 and O104:H4,
-Staphylococcal enterotoxins.
Process Hygiene Criteria; these are requirements for the acceptability of a functioning production process. They do not apply to products already placed on the market. They define threshold levels of contaminants, the exceeding of which requires corrective actions in order to maintain process hygiene in compliance with food legislation. These include:
– Aerobic colony count (total aerobic bacteria),
– Enterobacteriaceae,
– Salmonella,
– Escherichia coli,
– Campylobacter spp.,
– Coagulase-positive staphylococci,
– Bacillus cereus.
The microbiological laboratories of J.S. Hamilton provide comprehensive monitoring of risks at all stages of production, including environmental monitoring.
In addition to the tests covered by the above criteria, we also perform the following microbiological analyses:
– Bacillus subtilis
– Bacillus coagulans
– Listeria spp.
– Cronobacter spp.
– Alicyclobacillus spp.
– Moulds and yeasts
– Lactic acid bacteria
– Acetic acid bacteria
– Aerobic psychrotrophic microorganisms
– Spore-forming and non-spore-forming anaerobes (mesophilic and thermophilic)
– Clostridium perfringens
– Clostridium botulinum
– Enterococci
– Pseudomonas
– Characteristic bacteria in yoghurt
– Osmophilic moulds and yeasts
– Shelf-life testing using thermostatic tests
In addition to classical standardized methods, J.S. Hamilton laboratories use validated and accredited rapid alternative methods based on the automated BAX® system, which detects specific DNA sequences characteristic of pathogenic microorganisms. These methods are suitable for testing both food products and environmental samples from food production and distribution areas.With the BAX® system, we can detect the presence of pathogens such as:
-Salmonella
-Listeria monocytogenes
-Escherichia coli O157:H7
For meat, meat products, vegetables, fruits, and sprouts, we can also detect:
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, O26, O111, O103, O145, and O104:H4.
As part of its services, J.S. Hamilton also offers rapid and accurate detection of viruses in ready-to-eat foods that are not subjected to heat treatment before consumption. These viruses include:
– Hepatitis A virus
– Noroviruses (also known as Norwalk viruses)
Using the RT-PCR (reverse transcription PCR) method, we can determine their presence in matrices such as:
– fruit and processed fruit,
– vegetables and processed vegetables,
– environmental samples from food production and distribution areas.
Within the scope of our accreditation, we also perform microbiological analyses of drinking water and microbiological cleanliness testing of packaging intended for food contact.
Contact us today for more details or to arrange testing in the microbiological laboratories of J.S. Hamilton.