Chair: Dr. Cathy Stannard, Mars Snackfood UK

Technical Secretary: Joy Gaze

This panel is concerned with all aspects of food microbiology, including hygiene, spoilage, safety, methods, good laboratory practice and the interpretation of microbiological data.

A regular 'issues' update also draws panel members' attention to outbreaks of food poisoning throughout the world.

The panel supports a number of active working parties who report back with their current activities at each Panel meeting. The Quality Assurance and Quality Control Procedures Working Party keeps under review and up-to-date the Manual of Microbiological Methods for the Food and Drink Industry (CCFRA Guideline No. 43) - a practical guide to 58 methods in routine use in food microbiology laboratories, a new edition of which was issued in 2003. The Dry Goods Manufacturers Microbiology Working Party has overseen member-funded research on hygiene in dry environments and the efficacy of natural antimicrobials, the former having resulted in Guidelines for the hygienic design, selection and use of dry cleaning equipment (CCFRA Guideline No. 44). The Statistics and Sampling Working Party has helped to develop tools for explaining how statistics should be used in food microbiology. The Hygiene Methods Manual Working Party, established in 2002, reviewed current hygiene monitoring systems, resulting in the publication of a practical guidance manual for the food industry highlighting recommended types of sampling and commercially available systems: Manual of hygiene methods for the food and drink industry (CCFRA Guideline No. 45).