Current Situation Analysis and Recommendations for Microbial Indicators and Limit Requirements in the Standard of Refrigerated Cooked Rice and Wheaten Products in China

Refrigerated cooked rice and wheaten products (RCRWPs) as refrigerated industrial foods have developed rapidly in recent years. Since the industry standard of these products is absent at present, it is necessary to establish the regulation system urgently. The high microbial risk of RCRWPs due to their edible characteristics and preservation. In this case, microbial criteria and limits should be emphasized when the standards are established. In the current research, the selections of the microbial criteria, such as total bacterial count, indicator bacteria and pathogenic bacteria in RCRWPs, residue levels and detection regulations are analyzed by comparing the current industry standards, local standards in the field of RCRWPs, the standards and regulations of the International Commission on Microbiological Standards For food, and the Codex Alimentarius in the European Union, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The related recommendations are provided in this research as well. The outcomes would support the development of the standards of RCRWPs in China.