FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

EU Commission issues draft regulation amending safety and hygiene criteria for certain foodstuffs

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has published a draft regulation amending certain requirements related to its food safety and hygiene criteria.

Published in mid-June, the Commission’s draft regulation would modify the requirements in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 that establish microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. Specifically, the Commission is proposing to include food products incorporating sprouted seeds under the scope of regulations applicable to most ready-to-eat foods that can support the growth of listeria monocytogenes. The draft regulation also seeks to permit the use of alternative pasteurisation process for unpasteurised fruit and vegetable juices that provide a pasteurisation effect equivalent to currently accepted practices. 

The draft regulation also proposes to harmonise terms for certain microbiological serotypes with those now in common use. 

Additional information on the EU’s draft regulation on microbiological criteria for certain foodstuffs is available here. The Commission is public comments on the draft regulation through July 23.