Table 3 Guidance on the interpretation of results for specific food-borne pathogens in ready-to-eat food in general (colony-forming unit (cfu)/g)

Escherichia coli O157 (and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC))

n.d. in 25 g

N/A

Detected in 25 g

Salmonella spp.

n.d. in 25 g

N/A

Detected in 25 g

Shigella spp.

n.d. in 25 g

N/A

Detected in 25 g

Bacillus cereus

<  10³

10³ to < 10⁵

>  10⁵

Hygiene indicator organism

Satisfactory

Borderline

Unsatisfactory (potentially injurious to health and/or unfit for human consumption)

Escherichia coli

< 20

20 to < 10²

>  10²