Microbiological testing

The safety of food is a priority not only to consumers and manufacturers, but also to legislative bodies. That is why laws determine the necessary safety criteria that all food products need to comply with. In this article, we discuss those related to the microbiological parameters of food.

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety, as amended, which is the basic piece of EU legislation formulating the principles and requirements of European food law, prohibits the placing on the market of food that is not safe. Food business operators are obliged to withdraw unsafe food from the market.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as amended, lays down harmonised safety criteria for the evaluation of food products as regards pathogenic micro-organisms to increase the protection of public health and to avoid divergent interpretations. This regulation and subsequent amending regulations establish harmonised food safety criteria for certain pathogenic micro-organisms. These criteria also serve to validate and verify HACCP procedures and other hygiene control measures.

In the light of the legal acts cited, a distinction is made between:

1. 1. food safety criteria, i.e. requirements determining the acceptability of a product or a batch of foodstuff, applied to products placed on the market. This group includes:
      • 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,
   2. process hygiene criteria, i.e. requirements for the acceptance of a functioning production process. They do not apply to products placed on the market. These criteria determine the indicative value of contaminants, exceeding which corrective actions are necessary to maintain the hygiene of the process at the level compliant with the food law. This group includes:
      • Aerobic bacteria count,
      • Enterobacteriacae,
      • Salmonella,
      • Escherichia coli,
      • Campylobacter spp.,
      • Coagulase-positive staphylococci,
      • Bacillus cereus.

The microbiological laboratories of J.S. Hamilton Poland offer comprehensive hazard monitoring at every stage of production, including environmental control, using the methodology specified in Polish standards, harmonised with European and ISO standards.

In addition to the tests included in 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, meso- and thermophilic,
• Clostridium perfringens,
• Clostridium botulinum,
• Enterococcus,
• Pseudomonas,
• Characteristic bacteria in yoghurt,
• Osmophilic moulds and yeasts,
• Durability testing by thermostat test.

In addition to classical, standardised methods, J.S. Hamilton Poland laboratories have validated and accredited rapid alternative methods, based on the BAX® automated system based on the detection of a specific DNA sequence characteristic for pathogenic microorganisms. These methods are applicable to testing food, environmental samples from food production and trade areas. Using the BAX® system, we can determine the presence of such pathogens as:

• Salmonella,
• Listeria monocytogenes,
• Escherichia coli O157:H7,

and for meat and meat products, vegetables, fruit and sprouts:

• Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, O26, O111, O103, O145 oraz O104:H4.

As part of its services, J.S. Hamilton Poland also offers fast and precise detection of viruses present in ready-to-eat foods, which are not subjected to heat treatment during preparation and do not require heat treatment before consumption. These viruses mainly include:

• Hepatitis A virus,
• Noroviruses (also known as Norwalk viruses).

Using RT-PCR (reverse transcription PCR) we can determine their presence in matrices such as:

• Fruit and processed fruit,
• Vegetables and processed vegetables,
• Environmental samples from the food production and marketing area.

Within the scope of accreditation, we also carry out microbiological analyses of drinking water, as well as tests of microbiological purity of packaging intended for contact with food.

Contact us today for more detail – or to schedule your tests at the microbiological labs of J.S. Hamilton.