Microbiological Testing

An analysis of what food safety testing does and does not accomplish.

First and foremost, if a “regulatory authority” pulls a pathogen test on a product, do not ship it until you have the written, negative results. Bacteria are everywhere. Some are good, some (called pathogens) are bad. Reducing pathogens requires a holistic approach. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is the cornerstone of this approach. Use this link to learn the objectives and the tradeoffs of testing for total bacteria counts vs specific pathogens. You’ll also find more helpful links at the end of this article.