2.5 Microbiological sampling and testing

Found in:

Ham & Cooked Pork / Sourcing & receiving raw materials

2.5.1 The site shall have a standard operating procedure and testing schedule that details the frequency, scope and action limits for the microbiological testing of all incoming raw pork and cooked ham/pork feedstock.

2.5.2 The charter participant shall have undertaken a risk assessment to justify the frequency of microbiological sampling.

2.5.3 The microbiological condition of the incoming raw pork material shall meet the following standard:

	Target	Upper Limit
ACC	<1 x 10⁴cfu/g	1 x 10⁶cfu/g

2.5.4 The microbiological condition of incoming cooked ham/pork feedstock shall meet the microbiological standards set out in clause 11 of this module.

2.5.5 Where microbiological results above these targets are found, there shall be evidence that these are subject to trend analysis and that where ongoing issues are highlighted that root cause has been established and corrective action has taken place.

Guidance

The testing schedule shall relate to the number of suppliers (including those transferred between sites of the same company) and the volume of material and the range of cuts being processed.

Evidence

Review the following:

2.5.1 Testing schedule.
2.5.2 Copy of risk assessment.
2.5.3 Examples of microbiological reports since the last audit.
2.5.4 Check micro standards for compliance with clause 11
2.5.5 Trend analysis and where applicable root cause and corrective action reports.