Schedule 27 Microbiological limits in food
Note 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.
Microbiological limits in food are regulated by subsection 1.1.1—11 and Standard 1.6.1. This Standard lists information for sections 1.6.1—2 and 1.6.1—4, and subsection 1.6.1—3(2).
Note 2 The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.
S27—1 Name
This Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Schedule 27 – Microbiological limits in food.
Note Commencement:
This Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.
S27—2 Definitions
Note In this Code (see section 1.1.2—2):
SPC means a standard plate count at 30C with an incubation time of 72 hours.
In this Schedule:
processed, in relation to egg product, means pasteurised or subjected to an equivalent treatment.
S27—4 Microbiological limits in food
Microbiological limits in food
Column 1 | Column 2 (n) | Column 3 (c) | Column 4 (m) | Column 5 (M) |
All cheese | ||||
Escherichia coli | 5 | 1 | 10/g | 102/g |
Raw milk cheese | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Staphylococcal enterotoxins | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Soft and semi-soft cheese (moisture content > 39%) with pH > 5.0 | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Dried milk | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Unpasteurised milk for retail sale | ||||
Campylobacter | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 mL |
|
Coliforms | 5 | 1 | 102/mL | 103/mL |
Escherichia coli | 5 | 1 | 3/mL | 9/mL |
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 mL |
|
SPC | 5 | 1 | 2.5x104/mL | 2.5x105/mL |
Packaged cooked cured/salted meat | ||||
Coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 1 | 102/g | 103/g |
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Packaged heat treated meat paste and packaged heat treated pâté | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
All comminuted fermented meat which has not been cooked during the production process | ||||
Coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 1 | 103/g | 104/g |
Escherichia coli | 5 | 1 | 3.6/g | 9.2/g |
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Cooked crustacea | ||||
Coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 2 | 102/g | 103/g |
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
SPC | 5 | 2 | 105/g | 106/g |
Raw crustacea | ||||
Coagulase-positive staphylococci | 5 | 2 | 102/g | 103/g |
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
SPC | 5 | 2 | 5x105/g | 5x106/g |
Bivalve molluscs, other than scallops | ||||
Escherichia coli | 5 | 1 | 2.3/g | 7/g |
Ready-to-eat food in which growth of Listeria monocytogenes can occur | ||||
Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Ready-to-eat food in which growth of Listeria monocytogenes will not occur | ||||
Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | 102cfu/g |
|
Cereal-based foods for infants | ||||
Coliforms | 5 | 2 | less than 3/g | 20/g |
Salmonella | 10 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Powdered *infant formula, other than powdered *follow-on formula | ||||
Cronobacter | 30 | 0 | not detected in 10g |
|
Salmonella | 60 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Powdered follow-on formula | ||||
Salmonella | 60 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Pepper, paprika and cinnamon | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Dried, chipped, desiccated coconut | ||||
Salmonella | 10 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Cocoa powder | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Cultured seeds and grains (bean sprouts, alfalfa etc) | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Processed egg product | ||||
Salmonella | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Mineral water | ||||
Escherichia coli | 5 | 0 | not detected in 100 mL |
|
Packaged water | ||||
Escherichia coli | 5 | 0 | not detected in 100 mL |
|
Packaged ice | ||||
Escherichia coli | 5 | 0 | not detected in 100 mL |
|
Cell-cultured food (excluding cell lines) | ||||
Salmonella spp | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
|
____________________
Application, saving and transitional provisions
The table below details information on application, saving or transitional provisions in instruments affecting this Standard.
Food Standards (Proposal P1039 – Microbiological Criteria for Infant Formula) Variation | ||||
Instrument items affected | A’ment No. | FRL registration Gazette | Instrument’s transitional provision | Description of transitional arrangement |
Items [1] and [2] of the Schedule | 163 | F2016L00784 12 May 2016 FSC105 19 May 2016
| Clause 4
| Clause 4 provides that section 1.1.1—9 of the Code does not apply to the variations. |
Amendment History
The Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Schedule The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.
These amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.
About this compilation
This is compilation No. 5 of Schedule 27 as in force on 18 June 2025 (up to Amendment No. 239). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.
Prepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 18 June 2025.
Uncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect
To assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Schedule as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislation including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.
The following abbreviations may be used in the table below:
ad = added or inserted am = amended
exp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed
rs = repealed and substituted
Schedule 27 was published in the Food Standards Gazette No. FSC96 on 10 April 2015 as part of Amendment 154 (F2015L00453 –- 1 April 2015) and has since been amended as follows:
Section affected | A’ment No. | FRL registration Gazette | Commencement (Cessation) | How affected | Description of amendment |
Sched heading | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| am | Title of Standard previously included in the Code as part of P1017 and related cross-reference in Note 1. |
27—1 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| am | Title of Standard previously included in the Code as part of P1017. |
Note to 27—2 | 163 | F2016L00784 12 May 2016 FSC105 19 May 2016 | 19 May 2016 | rs | Note. For application, saving and transitional provisions, see above table.
|
27—3 | 163 | F2016L00784 12 May 2016 FSC105 19 May 2016 | 19 May 2016 | rep | Section. For application, saving and transitional provisions, see above table.
|
27—4, table to 27—4 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| am | Headings to section and related table included in the Code as part of P1017. |
table to S27—4 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| am | Entries relating to cooked crustacea and ready-to-eat foods included in the Code as part of P1017. |
table to S27—4 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| rep | Entries relating to butter, all raw milk cheese, raw milk unripened cheeses (moisture content > 50% with pH > 5.0) arising from P1022. |
table to S27—4 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| ad | Entry relating to raw milk cheese included in the Code as part of P1022. |
table to S27—4 | 157 | F2015L01374 1 Sept 2015 FSC99 3 Sept 2015 | 1 March 2016
| rs | Entries relating to unpasteurised milk for retail sale and powdered infant formula products included in the Code as part of P1017. |
table to S27—4 | 163 | F2016L00784 12 May 2016 FSC105 19 May 2016 | 19 May 2016 | rs | Entry relating to powdered infant formula products. For application, saving and transitional provisions, see above table. |
table to S27—4 | 168 | F2017L00414 11 April 2017 FSC110 13 April 2017
| 13 April 2017 | am | Corrections to typographical errors in the headings for powdered infant formula products and powdered follow-on formula. |
Note 1 | 200 | F2021L00684 2 June 2021 FSC141 3 June 2021 | 3 June 2021 | am | Correction for typographical error in note 1 |
table to S27—4 | 200 | F2021L00684 2 June 2021 FSC141 3 June 2021 | 3 June 2021 | rep | Correction for typographical error |
S27—4 | 239 | F2025L00689 18 June 2025 FSC 179 18 June 2025 | 18 June 2025 | ad | Insert Cell-cultured food (excluding cell lines) |