China's GB29921-2013 Pathogen Limits Take Effect: What Prepackaged Food and Packaging Teams Need to Know

China's national food safety standard for pathogenic bacteria limits in prepackaged foods, GB29921-2013, officially came into force in July this year. It sets out pathogen indicators, limit requirements and testing methods, making it a key part of the country's foundational food safety standards and a compliance point that food producers and packaging suppliers should monitor.

The standard covers prepackaged foods and establishes limits for five pathogens—Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus—across 11 food categories: meat products, aquatic products, ready-to-eat egg products, grain products, ready-to-eat bean products, chocolate and cocoa products, ready-to-eat fruit and vegetable products, beverages, frozen drinks, ready-to-eat condiments, and nut and seed products. Canned foods fall outside its scope.

Pathogen limits for other dairy products and foods for special dietary uses remain subject to current national food safety standards. Because microbial contamination risks are considered very low in foods or raw materials such as honey, fats and oils and emulsified fat products, jelly, candy and edible fungi, no pathogen limits are set for these at present, following standard-setting principles from organizations including CAC and ICMSF.

Pathogenic bacteria are common disease-causing microorganisms that can infect humans or animals. Major foodborne examples include Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In China, cases linked to foodborne pathogens represent roughly 40% to 50% of all reported foodborne disease cases each year. Implementation of the new standard is expected to help curb pathogen contamination in food and reduce the incidence of microbial foodborne illness.

Once the national standard took effect, food production and operation entities, food safety regulators and inspection bodies are required to follow it. Food already manufactured before the effective date may remain on sale through its shelf life. If other relevant rules conflict with this standard, this standard prevails. For imported foods, the declaration date for inspection governs; from the standard's effective date, inspections are conducted under the new standard.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361773.html