Microbiological food safety is centered on the production of
safer foods and mainly ensured by preventive approaches. Its primary
goals are to minimize the risks of foodborne pathogens and
their toxins, reduce the incidence of human disease as well as facilitating
domestic and international trade (EU, 2004). Microbiological
risk is managed by governmental standards and regulations
on distinct levels of foodborne hazards that may not be exceeded
(ICMSF, 2005). The current level of tolerable or acceptable risk
the community is willing to accept is a political decision by risk
managers and commonly termed the ‘‘Appropriate Level of Protection’’
(ALOP) (Gorris, 2005). Although standards on foodborne
pathogens are relatively few, the accepted levels of some of the
most common pathogenic contaminants and indicator organisms
in food products are dictated by the European Union (EU) general
food law (EC: 2073/2005) as well as national legislation.