FSA News Item, 11 January 2006

HYGIENE - Revised guidance for food businesses – Microbiological Criteria

A copy of the Guidance Document is available on this site - General Guidance for Food Business Operators - EC Regulation No. 2073/2005 on Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs

The Agency is issuing revised guidance for the Regulation on Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs, which applies from 11 January 2006 . The aim of the guidance is to help UK food business operators understand the requirements of new European legislation.

The Agency's consultations on this regulation, the UK Regulatory Impact Assessment and associated guidance, generated extensive comments from many key stakeholders and those concerning the clarity of the text are reflected in the final guidance. We also received requests for detailed guidance relating to the practical application of the regulation in a number of areas such as:

• enforcement
• primary production
• small businesses
• durability studies
• sampling plans and frequency
• the relationship between the regulation and food safety management practices
• transitional derogation for minced meat, meat preparations and meat products
• training for food business operators and enforcement officers

We plan to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure the additional guidance requested is provided and will arrange a meeting within the next two months to take this work forward.

The Agency also proposes to review the guidance document after 12 months to take account of experience gained in applying the regulation. We would therefore like to invite comments on the practical application of the regulation and the guidance up to 31 December 2006 .

In the meantime, the Agency is happy to provide advice direct to food businesses, and food businesses should be aware that some trades organisations, such as the British Retail Consortium and Chilled Food Association, have produced guidance on complying with the regulation that may also be helpful.