Review of the microbiological standards for foods

A significant component of the review of the Australian Food Standards Code and the development of joint food standards with New Zealand was the review of microbiological criteria. The outcome of the review was the retention of a number of standards where qualitative risk assessments supported their continuation. Other standards were withdrawn because they could not be justified as supporting a public health objective, being more relevant to quality and spoilage issues. However some new standards were adopted and an additional category of microbiological guidelines was developed to assist with the identification of food not being produced in a satisfactory manner. Work from the review is still ongoing including more quantitative risk assessments being undertaken, such as for Listeria monocytogenes.