Risk assessment and microbiological criteria for foods

Changes in the approaches to ensuring microbiological quality and safety of foods and in the development of concepts and practices for risk analysis and risk management over past years are reviewed and key issues identified. These include the ethical paradigm of expectation of higher standards and extensive wastage of foods in developed countries and that which exists in many third-world countries. Current practices including application of the concepts of microbiological food safety objectives and processing objectives, and more general concepts such as appropriate level of protection (ALOP), are considered. Issues relating to the development and use of microbiological criteria (MC) for foods as guidelines, specifications and legislative standards are discussed. The need for effective guidance on the use of microbiological uncertainty measurements, such as those required for accredited laboratories, in the setting and use of MC is also considered.