12.1 INTRODUCTION. Estimation of bacterial numbers in food is frequently used in the retrospective assessment of microbiological quality or to assess the presumptive “safety” of foods. This procedure requires that samples are taken of the food, microbiological tests or analyses are performed and the results evaluated - possibly by comparing In Microbiological Analysis of Food and Water, 1998. 4.4 Food. Sampling of food can be done for many reasons. The following paragraphs give details of the various categories of sampling. 4.4.1 Acceptance /rejection testing. Acceptance /rejection testing of foods in international trade is done on the basis of agreed specifications and sampling In this attachment, FSIS is providing a summary (Tables 1-3) of the frequency of government sampling and the microbiological analyses performed by FSIS. Central competent authorities (CCAs) can use this information as a reference when implementing government microbiological testing. The tables also include test portions analyzed by FSIS for FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (the BAM) is the agency's preferred laboratory procedures for the detection in food and cosmetic products of pathogens (bacterial, viral, parasitic, plus yeast and mold) and of microbial toxins. The complete BAM is now available online and will be updated as needed. Additional FDA Microbiological Methods. Conventional testing methods make use of growth media and cultivation to enumerate and isolate cells of microorganisms from food samples brought into suspension with diluents. Isolated colonies of microbes are then subjected to a series of biochemical, physiological and serological tests in order to find species identity and subtypes of the Samples are collected and processed by establishment personnel and tested using laboratory methods specified by AOAC International, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Microbiological Laboratory Guidebook, and/or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Samples are collected in areas free from air .

microbiological testing of food samples