Where each pathogen can grow
Extreme reported in the literature, with other conditions favourable. They may not apply to your food or process. Source: , Table A-1.
Limiting conditions for growth
| Organism | Min aw | Min pH | Max pH | Min °C | Max °C | Oxygen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacillus cereus | 0.92 | 4.3 | 9.3 | 4 | 55 | Facultative |
| Campylobacter jejuni | 0.987 | 4.9 | 9.5 | 30 | 45 | Microaerophile |
| C. botulinum, proteolytic | 0.935 | 4.6 | 9 | 10 | 48 | Anaerobe |
| C. botulinum, non-proteolytic | 0.97 | 5 | 9 | 3.3 | 45 | Anaerobe |
| Clostridium perfringens | 0.93 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 52 | Anaerobe |
| Pathogenic E. coli | 0.95 | 4 | 10 | 6.5 | 49.4 | Facultative |
| Listeria monocytogenes | 0.92 | 4.4 | 9.4 | -0.4 | 45 | Facultative |
| Salmonella spp. | 0.94 | 3.7 | 9.5 | 5.2 | 46.2 | Facultative |
| Shigella spp. | 0.96 | 4.8 | 9.3 | 6.1 | 47.1 | Facultative |
| Staphylococcus aureus, growth | 0.83 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 50 | Facultative |
| S. aureus, toxin formation | 0.85 | 4 | 9.8 | 10 | 48 | Facultative |
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus | 0.94 | 4.8 | 11 | 5 | 45.3 | Facultative |
| Yersinia enterocolitica | 0.945 | 4.2 | 10 | -1.3 | 42 | Facultative |
Source: , Table A-1. Facultative organisms grow with or without oxygen.
Maximum cumulative exposure
Bacillus cereus4 to 6 °C5 days7 to 15 °C1 day16 to 21 °C6 hoursAbove 21 °C3 hours
Clostridium perfringens10 to 12 °C21 days13 to 14 °C1 day15 to 21 °C6 hours*Above 21 °C2 hours
Listeria monocytogenes−0.4 to 5 °C7 days6 to 10 °C1 day11 to 21 °C7 hours22 to 30 °C3 hoursAbove 30 °C1 hour
Salmonella species5.2 to 10 °C2 days11 to 21 °C5 hoursAbove 21 °C2 hours
Staphylococcus aureus7 to 10 °C14 days11 to 21 °C12 hours*Above 21 °C3 hours
FDA guidance written for fish and fishery products, shown here as a worked example of how combine. * See the source's footnotes. Source: , Table A-2.
Ready-to-eat guideline bands, cfu/g
| Organism | Guideline | Satisfactory | Marginal or borderline | Unsatisfactory | Potentially hazardous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacillus cereus | FSANZ | <10² | 10² to <10³ | 10³ to 10⁵ | >10⁵ |
| UKHSA | <10³ | 10³ to 10⁵ | >10⁵ | ||
| Clostridium perfringens | FSANZ | <10² | 10² to <10³ | 10³ to 10⁵ | >10⁵ |
| UKHSA | <10 | 10 to 10⁴ | >10⁴ | ||
| Coagulase-positive staphylococci | FSANZ | <10² | 10² to <10³ | 10³ to 10⁴ | >10⁴ |
| UKHSA | <20 | 20 to 10⁴ | >10⁴ | ||
| Escherichia coli | FSANZ | <3 | 3 to <10² | >10² | |
| UKHSA | <20 | 20 to 10² | >10² | ||
| Listeria monocytogenes, growth can occur | FSANZ | Not detected in 25 g | Detected in 25 g | ||
| Listeria monocytogenes, no growth | FSANZ | ≤10² | >10² | ||
| UKHSA | Not detected | Detected, up to 10² | >10² | ||
| Salmonella | FSANZ | Not detected in 25 g | Detected in 25 g | ||
| UKHSA | Not detected | Detected |
Guideline bands assess handling controls. They aren't . Check the sources for footnotes and for your own food category. Sources: (July 2025) Tables 2.1 and 2.2; (2024) Tables 1 and 2.