ICMSF Recommended Microbiological Limits for Seafoods
Table 27. Recommended microbiological limits for seafoods (ICMSF, 1986)1.| Limit per gram or per cm2 | |||||
| Product | Test | n | c | m | M |
| Fresh and frozen fish and cold-smoked | APC E. coli |
5 5 |
3 3 |
5 × 105 11 |
107 500 |
| Precooked breaded fish | APC E. coli |
5 5 |
2 2 |
5 × 105 11 |
107 500 |
| Frozen raw crustaceans | APC E. coli |
5 5 |
3 3 |
106 11 |
107 500 |
| Frozen cooked crustaceans | APC E. coli Staph. aureus |
5 5 5 |
2 2 0 |
5 × 105 11 103 |
107 500 - |
| Cooked, chilled, and frozen crabmeat | APC E. coli Staph. aureus |
5 5 5 |
2 1 0 |
105 11 103 |
106 500 - |
| Fresh and frozen bivalve molluscs (These criteria are to be used only for molluscs from approved harvesting areas where waters are free from enteric bacteria or virus contamination and there is no significant contamination by toxic metals or toxic and carcinogenic chemicals which may be accumulated by animals. Molluscs from non-approved areas should enter trade only after processing by a treatment to destroy enteric bacteria and viruses and may be tested for dangerous chemicals before distribution.) | APC E. coli |
5 5 |
0 0 |
5 × 105 16 |
- - |
| Limit per gram or per cm2 | |||||
| Product | Test | n | c | m | M |
| Fresh and frozen fish and cold-smoked (For fish known to derive from inshore or inland waters of doubtful bacteriological quality, particularly in warm-water areas and where fish are to be eaten raw, it may be desirable to test for Salmonella and V. parahaemolyticus. Smoked fish may be tested for Staph. aureus) | Salmonella V. parahaemolyticus Staph. aureus.) |
5 5 5 |
0 2 2 |
0 102 103 |
- 103 104 |
| Precooked breaded fish (Staph. aureus may also be tested for cooked fish products likely to be mishandled.) | Staph. aureus | 5 | 1 | 103 | 104 |
| Frozen raw crustaceans (Staph. aureus may be tested in breaded products. Salmonella and V. parahaemolyticus tests may be applied to products from warm-water areas and V. parahaemolyticus tests in products from temperate regions in summer, if likely to be eaten raw.) | Salmonella V. parahaemolyticus Staph. aureus |
5 5 5 |
0 1 2 |
0 102 103 |
- 103 104 |
| Frozen cooked crustaceans (Salmonella and V. parahaemolyticus may be tested for in cooked crustaceans originally harvested from waters and processed in regions of known high environmental hazard.) | Salmonella V. parahaemolyticus |
10 5 |
0 1 |
0 102 |
- 103 |
| Cooked, chilled, and frozen crabmeat (Crabmeat from animals harvested from waters above 15°C may be tested for V. parahaemolyticus.) | V. parahaemolyticus | 10 | 1 | 102 | 103 |
| Fresh and frozen bivalve molluscs (Salmonella should be tested for when there is concern for bacteriological safety and V. parahaemolyticus should be tested for in molluscs from endemic areas and harvested from warm waters.) | Salmonella V. parahaemolyticus |
20 10 |
0 1 |
0 102 |
- 103 |
c = Maximum number of acceptable sample units with bacterial counts between m and M.
m = Maximum recommended bacterial counts for good quality products.
M = Maximum recommended bacterial counts for marginally acceptable quality products.
Plate counts below "m" are considered good quality. Plate counts between "m" and "M" are considered marginally acceptable quality, but can be accepted if the number of samples does not exceed "c." Plate counts at or above "M" are considered unacceptable quality (ICMSF, 1986).
ICMSF. 1986. Microorganisms in Foods. 2. Sampling for Microbiological Analysis: Principles and Specific Applications, 2nd ed. University of Toronto Press, Buffalo, NY.
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Updated: 07/19/07 Update Log |
Pamela D. Tom,
SeafoodNIC Director Sea Grant Extension Program |
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