On December 18, 2024, Denmark published Official Gazette No. 10153, the new version of the Guidelines on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, which describes how to use the Microbiological Criteria Rule in food production, other requirements for microbiological quality, the sampling plan for microbiological criteria, and microbiological criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food products, with the following main points:

(1) Products must be categorized into the various food categories in the Microbiological Code, depending on whether they are ready-to-eat foods or not. Companies importing food products from third countries must document compliance with microbiological criteria during inspections, etc;

(2) Firms producing dried infant formula or dried food for special medical purposes for infants under 6 months of age, where there may be a risk of Cronobacter spp. must monitor the presence of Escherichia coli in processing areas and equipment as part of their sampling program, etc;

(3) Meat products must be packaged in a way that provides consumers with information that the product must be thoroughly heat-treated, and Danish importers and other food companies must require their foreign suppliers to ensure that all batches of fresh and minced chicken intended for sale in Denmark are tested for Salmonella before shipment from the country of origin, etc;

(4) The guideline shall be implemented from the date of its issuance and the guideline No. 9774 issued on June 30, 2022 (i.e., the former Microbiological Criteria for Foods) is repealed.

Learn more: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/retsinfo/2024/10153