Micro-organisms in Food

There may be some overlap between these groups. For example. Staphylococcus aureus may be just an indicator of generally unhygienic conditions, or it may produce staphylococcal enterotoxin causing very rapid symptoms (two hours) of gastro-enteritis. Similarly, Escherichia coli can cause an infection, be toxigenic, or just be an indicator of faecal pollution. 

Two types of microbiological limit may be recognised. The first is a limit of specific pathogens posing a health risk to the consumer. This is a relatively simple problem as the presence of dangerous organisms such as Salmonella spp.. Shigella spp., and Clostridium botulinum is obviously not acceptable. 

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International Commission of Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF). 1996. Microbiological specifications of food pathogens. Micro-organisms in Food, Vol. 5. New York Blackie Academic and Professional. 

European Food Safety Authority (2005). QPS Qualified Presumption of Safety of micro-organisms in food and feed. EFSA, Parma, Italy. 

International Committee on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (1978). Micro-organisms in Foods Their Significance and Enumeration. University of Toronto Press. 

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