{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-2073/annex-I/chapter-2/division-2.2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-2073/annex-I/chapter-2/division-2.2.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2005/2073",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-2073",
  "path": "annex/I/chapter/2/division/2.2",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "2.2",
  "heading": "Milk and dairy products",
  "text": "n = number of units comprising the sample; c = number of sample units giving values between m and M.\nFor points 2.2.1, 2.2.7, 2.2.9 and 2.2.10 m=M.\nThe most recent edition of the standard shall be used.\nThe criterion shall not apply to products intended for further processing in the food industry.\nE. coli is used here as an indicator for the level of hygiene.\nFor cheeses which are not able to support the growth of E. coli, the E. coli count is usually the highest at the beginning of the ripening period, and for cheeses which are able to support the growth of E. coli, it is normally at the end of the ripening period.\nExcluding cheeses where the manufacturer can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the competent authorities, that the product does not pose a risk of staphylococcal enterotoxins.\nOnly ice creams containing milk ingredients.\nParallel testing for Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter spp. shall be conducted, unless a correlation between these micro-organisms has been established at an individual plant level. If Enterobacteriaceae are detected in any of the product samples tested in such a plant, the batch has to be tested for Cronobacter spp. It shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the competent authority whether such a correlation exists between Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter spp.\n1 ml of inoculum is plated on a Petri dish of 140 mm diameter or on three Petri dishes of 90 mm diameter.\nFood category\nMicro-organisms\nSampling plan\nLimits\nAnalytical reference method\nStage where the criterion applies\nAction in case of unsatisfactory results\nn\nc\nm\nM\n2.2.1\nPasteurised milk and other pasteurised liquid dairy products\nEntero-bacteriaceae\n5\n0\n10 cfu/ml\nEN ISO 21528-2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nCheck on the efficiency of heat-treatment and prevention of recontamination as well as the quality of raw materials\n2.2.2\nCheeses made from milk or whey that has undergone heat treatment\nE. coli\n5\n2\n100 cfu/g\n1 000 cfu/g\nISO 16649-1 or 2\nAt the time during the manufacturing process when the E. coli count is expected to be highest\nImprovements in production hygiene and selection of raw materials\n2.2.3\nCheeses made from raw milk\nCoagulase-positive staphylococci\n5\n2\n10 4 cfu/g\n10 5 cfu/g\nEN/ISO 6888-2\nAt the time during the manufacturing process when the number of staphylococci is expected to be highest\nImprovements in production hygiene and selection of raw materials. If values > 10 5 cfu/g are detected, the cheese batch has to be tested for staphylococcal enterotoxins.\n2.2.4\nCheeses made from milk that has undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation and ripened cheeses made from milk or whey that has undergone pasteurisation or a stronger heat treatment\nCoagulase-positive staphylococci\n5\n2\n100 cfu/g\n1 000 cfu/g\nEN/ISO 6888-1 or 2\n2.2.5\nUnripened soft cheeses (fresh cheeses) made from milk or whey that has undergone pasteurisation or a stronger heat treatment\nCoagulase-positive staphylococci\n5\n2\n10 cfu/g\n100 cfu/g\nEN/ISO 6888-1 or 2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene. If values > 10 5 cfu/g are detected, the cheese batch has to be tested for staphylococcal enterotoxins.\n2.2.6\nButter and cream made from raw milk or milk that has undergone a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation\nE. coli\n5\n2\n10 cfu/g\n100 cfu/g\nISO 16649-1 or 2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene and selection of raw materials\n2.2.7\nMilk powder and whey powder\nEnterobacteriaceae\n5\n0\n10 cfu/g\nEN ISO 21528-2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nCheck on the efficiency of heat treatment and prevention of recontamination\nCoagulase-positive staphylococci\n5\n2\n10 cfu/g\n100 cfu/g\nEN/ISO 6888-1 or 2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene. If values > 10 5 cfu/g are detected, the batch has to be tested for staphylococcal enterotoxins.\n2.2.8\nIce cream and frozen dairy desserts\nEnterobacteriaceae\n5\n2\n10 cfu/g\n100 cfu/g\nEN ISO 21528-2\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene\n2.2.9\nDried infant formulae and dried dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants below six months of age\nEnterobacteriaceae\n10\n0\nNot detected in 10 g\nEN ISO 21528-1\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene to minimise contamination\n2.2.10\nDried follow-on formulae\nEnterobacteriaceae\n5\n0\nNot detected in 10 g\nEN ISO 21528-1\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene to minimise contamination\n2.2.11\nDried infant formulae and dried dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants below six months of age\nPresumptive Bacillus cereus\n5\n1\n50 cfu/g\n500 cfu/g\nEN/ISO 7932\nEnd of the manufacturing process\nImprovements in production hygiene. Prevention of recontamination. Selection of raw material.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Substituted by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1441/2007 of 5 December 2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 365/2010 of 28 April 2010 amending Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs as regards Enterobacteriaceae in pasteurised milk and other pasteurised liquid dairy products and Listeria monocytogenes in food grade salt (Text with EEA relevance)."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/229 of 7 February 2019 amending Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs as regards certain methods, the food safety criterion for Listeria monocytogenes in sprouted seeds, and the process hygiene criterion and food safety criterion for unpasteurised fruit and vegetable juices (ready-to-eat) (Text with EEA relevance)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "n = number of units comprising the sample; c = number of sample units giving values between m and M."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "For points 2.2.1, 2.2.7, 2.2.9 and 2.2.10 m=M."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "The most recent edition of the standard shall be used."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "The criterion shall not apply to products intended for further processing in the food industry."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "E. coli is used here as an indicator for the level of hygiene."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f6",
      "text": "For cheeses which are not able to support the growth of E. coli, the E. coli count is usually the highest at the beginning of the ripening period, and for cheeses which are able to support the growth of E. coli, it is normally at the end of the ripening period."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f7",
      "text": "Excluding cheeses where the manufacturer can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the competent authorities, that the product does not pose a risk of staphylococcal enterotoxins."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f8",
      "text": "Only ice creams containing milk ingredients."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f9",
      "text": "Parallel testing for Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter spp. shall be conducted, unless a correlation between these micro-organisms has been established at an individual plant level. If Enterobacteriaceae are detected in any of the product samples tested in such a plant, the batch has to be tested for Cronobacter spp. It shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the competent authority whether such a correlation exists between Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter spp."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f10",
      "text": "1 ml of inoculum is plated on a Petri dish of 140 mm diameter or on three Petri dishes of 90 mm diameter."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2005/2073/annex/I/chapter/2/division/2.2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:54:04.164955+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}