Technical reference
Testing is . It can't inspect safety into food, because only a tiny portion of any batch is examined. A is evidence about the sample, and the controls protect the rest of the batch.
Parameters
| Laboratory standard | |
|---|---|
| Accreditation in Australia | |
| Reporting limit | Less than a value means below what the method can report |
| Certificate must show | Sample identity, dates, method, result, unit, signatory |
| Retention | Longer than product shelf life, or as the authority sets |
Records that prove it
- Testing plan
- Certificates of analysis
- Comparison with limits
- Actions on any failure
- Trend review
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.
CCP or prerequisite?
That depends on the for your process. The number, if it has one, belongs to your plan.