Technical reference
manage risk statistically. Five units rarely prove anything about a low-level contaminant, which is why criteria sit on top of process control.
Parameters
| n | Number of sample units tested |
|---|---|
| c | Units allowed between m and M (or above m in a plan) |
| m | Acceptable level; units at or below it are acceptable |
| M | Level no unit may exceed |
| Not detected in 25 g, n=5, c=0 | All five 25 g units must be negative |
Records that prove it
- Lot identity
- Sampling method and units
- Each unit's result
- Decision and who made it
Examples from Food Standards Code Schedule 27
| Food and organism | n | c | m | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked crustacea: coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 2 | 10²/g | 10³/g |
| Packaged cooked cured or salted meat: coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 1 | 10²/g | 10³/g |
| All cheese: E. coli | 5 | 1 | 10/g | 10²/g |
| Ready-to-eat food where growth can occur: Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g | n/a |
| Cooked crustacea: standard plate count | 5 | 2 | 10⁵/g | 10⁶/g |
| Comminuted fermented meat, not cooked: E. coli | 5 | 1 | 3.6/g | 9.2/g |
CCP or prerequisite?
That depends on the for your process. The number, if it has one, belongs to your plan.