The Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations 1995

Regulation 11(2)(c)

SCHEDULE 13 Sampling requirements and microbiological criteria for meat preparations

1.  Table of microbiological criteria:

	Lower Threshold (per g.)		Upper Threshold (per g.)
	Solid media	Liquid media	Solid media	Liquid media
Escherichia coli	5 × 102	5 × 102	5 × 103	1.5 × 104
Staphylococcus aureus	5 × 102	5 × 102	5 × 103	5 × 103

2.  Microbiological tests shall be conducted at least once a week on a representative sample of finished meat preparations or, alternatively, of any meat intended for the production of meat preparations, where possible the sample being taken from deep in the muscle after the surface has been cauterised.

For the purposes of this paragraph “a representative sample” means a sample comprising five separate units of a weight appropriate to the test to be carried out, taken at different times and at reasonable intervals during production.

3.  The quality of the meat preparations or meat analysed shall be evaluated according to the following categories:

• Category (a): fully satisfactory—all results at or below the lower threshold;

• Category (b): acceptable subject to paragraph 4 below—all results at or below the upper threshold; or

• Category (c): unacceptable—any results above the upper threshold.

4.  In the case of category (b) above, if the results of tests on five consecutive samples show an incidence of samples which produce results above the lower threshold but at or below the upper threshold of above 2 in 5, in the case of Escherichia coli, or above 1 in 5, in the case of Staphylococcus aureus, the quality shall be considered unacceptable.

5.  Where in respect of any sample the result of the test for salmonella shows a presence in 1g., the quality shall be considered unacceptable.