Indicator Microorganisms and Microbiological Criteria

Merle D. Pierson; Don L. Zink; L. Michele Smoot

doi:10.1128/9781555815912.ch4

Chapter 4 : Indicator Microorganisms and Microbiological Criteria

Authors: Merle D. Pierson¹, Don L. Zink², L. Michele Smoot³

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Affiliations: 1: Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061; 2: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740; 3: Silliker, Inc., 2057 Builders Place, Columbus, Ohio 43204

Content Type: Reference

Publication Year: 2007

Category: Applied and Industrial Microbiology; Food Microbiology

Book DOI: 10.1128/9781555815912

Chapter DOI: 10.1128/9781555815912.ch4

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Abstract:

Microbiological criteria provide the food industry and regulatory agencies with guidelines for control of food processing systems and are an underlying component of any critical control point that addresses a microbiological hazard in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems. Aerobic plate count (APC) or standard plate count (SPC) is commonly used to determine “total” numbers of microorganisms in a food product. Depending on the pathogen, low levels of the microorganism in the food product may or may not be of concern. Some microorganisms have such a low infective dose that their mere presence in a food presents a significant public health risk. For such microbes, the concern is not whether the pathogen is able to grow in the food but that the microorganism could survive for any length of time in the food. Food products frequently subject to contamination by harmful microorganisms, such as shellfish, may benefit from the application of microbiological criteria. Enterococci counts have few useful applications in microbiological criteria for food safety. Some microbiological criteria related to safety rely on tests for metabolites to indicate a potential hazard rather than direct tests for pathogenic or indicator microorganisms. The current acceptable limits are based on the criterion that there is an 80% probability that the plant is actually exceeding the target value if it exceeds the acceptable limit.

Citation: Pierson M, Zink D, Smoot L. 2007. Indicator Microorganisms and Microbiological Criteria, p 69-85. In Doyle M, Beuchat L (ed), Food Microbiology: Fundamentals and Frontiers, Third Edition. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815912.ch4

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Indicator Microorganisms and Microbiological Criteria

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/content/10.1128/9781555815912.ch04.ch04fig01

Figure 4.1

Operating characteristic curve for n = 10, c = 2. From reference 26 with permission.

10.1128/9781555815912/f0072-01_thmb.gif

10.1128/9781555815912/f0072-01.gif

Figure 4.1

Operating characteristic curve for n = 10, c = 2. From reference 26 with permission.

References

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Tables

Indicator Microorganisms and Microbiological Criteria

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Table 4.1

Organisms highly correlated with product quality a

Table 4.1

Organisms highly correlated with product quality a

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Table 4.2

Some microbial metabolic products that correlate with food quality a

Table 4.2

Some microbial metabolic products that correlate with food quality a

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Table 4.3

Plan stringency (case) in relation to degree of health hazard and conditions of use a

Table 4.3

Plan stringency (case) in relation to degree of health hazard and conditions of use a

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Table 4.4

Hazardous microorganisms and parasites grouped on the basis of risk severity a

Table 4.4

Hazardous microorganisms and parasites grouped on the basis of risk severity a

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Table 4.5

Microbiological criteria for verification of cooked, ready-to-eat shrimp and cooked, ready-to-eat crabmeat a

Table 4.5

Microbiological criteria for verification of cooked, ready-to-eat shrimp and cooked, ready-to-eat crabmeat a

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Table 4.6

Summary of cases and sampling plans for Listeria monocytogenes a

Table 4.6

Summary of cases and sampling plans for Listeria monocytogenes a

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Table 4.7

Examples of various food products for which advisory microbiological criteria have been established

Table 4.7

Examples of various food products for which advisory microbiological criteria have been established

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Table 4.8

Examples of various food products for which mandatory microbiological criteria have been established

Table 4.8

Examples of various food products for which mandatory microbiological criteria have been established

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Table 4.9

Moving-sum rules for meat and poultry commodities a

Table 4.9

Moving-sum rules for meat and poultry commodities a