Description
The objective of the method is to ensure that preparation of test samples and initial suspensions of food and feeding stuffs for quantitative microbiological examination are performed correctly and in a uniform way. Unless specifically mentioned, in the following paragraphs animal feeding stuffs are included in the term ‘food’. This method is intended for analysis of all solid, semi-solid and liquid food products. Further, it describes how surface and depth sampling, respectively, are carried out in solid foods. The method can be used when analysing for bacteria, yeast and moulds. This method describes the general principles for sampling and pretreatment in connection to quantitative microbiological analyses. If other sample sizes, dilutions etc. is requested in other standards/methods for specific food products or microorganisms, they should be used instead.