The FSSAI has drafted amendments related microbiological standards in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives)Regulations, 2011, in Appendix B
- In the Table 2B Microbiological Standards for Milk and Milk products –Food Safety Criteria some additions have been made below the table after the existing text under ‘Stage where the Microbiological Standards shall apply’ the following statement
The Microbiological Standards in Table-2B (Food Safety Criteria) define the acceptability of a batch/lot and shall be met in respect of the product for releasing it in the market. These shall be applicable to the products at the end of the manufacturing process and the products in the market during their shelf- life.
This above statement will be omitted from below the title ‘Action in case of unsatisfactory result’.
- Under-Sampling Plans and Guidelines in the category For Regulator after the text The sampling for different microbiological standards with respect to the products specified in Table-2A and 2B…….The final decision shall be drawn based on results with no provision for retesting for microbiological parameters.
Above line in Italics will be Replaced with
The final decision shall be drawn based on results with no provision for retesting for microbiological parameters except for Table -2B (Food Safety Criteria).
- Under‘Reference Test Methods’, the following statement shall be inserted
Test methods prescribed in FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods (Microbiological Testing) may also be referred along with the IS/ISO methods specified for Process Hygiene Criteria and Food Safety Criteria.
Under Table 4B – Microbiological Standards for Fruits and Vegetables and their Products below the Table 4B related to Microbiological Standards for Fruits and Vegetables and their Products – Food Safety Criteria
- Under the heading ‘Stage where the Microbiological Standards shall apply’, the following statement shall be added“The Microbiological Standards in Table-4B (Food Safety Criteria) define the acceptability of a batch/lot and shall be met in respect of the product for releasing it in the market. These shall be applicable to the products at the end of the manufacturing process and the products in the market during their shelf- life.
The above statement given under ‘Action in case of unsatisfactory result’ shall be omitted.
- Under the heading “Sampling Plans and Guidelines” in the category “For Regulator” the following statement shall be shall be inserted at the end of the paragraph “The final decision shall be drawn based on results with no provision for retesting for microbiological parameters except for Table -4B (Food Safety Criteria).
- Under the title ‘Reference Test Methods’, the following statement shall be added
Test methods prescribed in FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods (Microbiological Testing) may also be referred along with the IS/ISO methods specified for Process Hygiene Criteria and Food Safety Criteria.
In Table 5B related to Microbiological Standards for Meat and Meat Products – Food
Safety Criteria, in the third Column, the word “Salmonella” shall be substituted by Salmonella$”.
- Below the Table 5B related to Microbiological Standards for Meat and Meat Products
– Food Safety Criteria the following shall be added below the existing text
“$For poultry meat the requirement shall be applicable for Salmonellaenterica serovars Typhi, Typhimurium and Enteritidis”;
- Under the heading ‘Stage where the Microbiological Standards shall apply’, following statement shall be added after the existing text
“The Microbiological Standards in Table-5B (Food Safety Criteria) define the acceptability of a batch/lot and shall be met in respect of the product for releasing it in the market. These shall be applicable to the products at the end of the manufacturing process and the products in the market during their shelf- life.”
Under the title ‘Action in case of the unsatisfactory result,’ the above statement shall be omitted
Under the heading “Sampling Plans and Guidelines in the category “For Regulator” the texts “The final decision shall be ……….. for microbiological parameters”
Will be replaced with
“The final decision shall be drawn based on results with no provision for retesting for microbiological parameters except for Table -5B (FoodSafety Criteria).”
Under the heading ‘Reference Test Methods’, the following statement shall be added after the existing text
“Test methods prescribed in FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods (Microbiological Testing) may also be referred along with the IS/ISO methods specified for Process Hygiene Criteria and Food Safety Criteria.
(f) in the table below the heading ‘Reference Test Methods’, in the row at serial no. 9, in column 2, the words “Clostridium perfringens”
shall be replaced with the words “Clostridium botulinum”
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