Guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods placed on the market - UKHSA Updated Guidance 2024

These revised guidelines were completed in 2024. Since the previous edition in 2009, the UK has left the EU and this has resulted in transfer of legal responsibility from EU to UK legislation through Statutory instruments, particularly The Food and Feed Hygiene and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2020: UK Statutory Instrument 2020 Number 1410.

The guidelines are for practical use within UKHSA as well as by local authority and port health authority enforcement officers. These guidelines provide a
framework for standardisation of both interpretation of laboratory results as well as advice on what remedial actions can be recommended by staff (including Food Examiners) in the UKHSA FWEMS laboratories, with a focus on public health and consumer protection.

These updated guidelines have been reviewed, revised, and supersede those previously issued. They include information on the bacteria that cause foodborne disease and those that act as hygiene indicators, on interpretation of test results, comments on poor practices that are likely to have contributed to adverse results and suggested appropriate public health actions.

These guidelines have been expanded to include information on statutory requirements such as for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) testing (38) as well as advice on sampling, transport and test selection.

You can access the revised Guidelines here: UKHSA ready to eat guidelines 20241

In food legislation, food business operators (FBOs) have obligations to produce and serve safe food and ensure that microorganisms are eliminated or minimised to an acceptable level to the extent that they cannot cause harm to human health and that food is fit for human consumption.

Microbiological testing provides important information for verification of food safety management systems, although testing alone does not guarantee the safety of food.

Within the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 3 laboratories deliver the Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Services (FWEMS). These laboratories examine food samples that are collected by local authorities or port health authorities under standardised conditions. Food samples are also submitted for public health investigations including as part of outbreak investigations, for Official Control purposes or for surveillance and monitoring.