Indicators
Enterobacteriaceae
The family Enterobacteriaceae includes many bacteria that are found in the human or animal
intestinal tract, including human pathogens such as Salmonella and Shigella.
Enterobacteriaceae are useful indicators of hygiene and of post-processing contamination of
heat processed foods. Their presence in high numbers (>104 per gram) in ready-to-eat foods
indicates that an unacceptable level of contamination has occurred or there has been
underprocessing (e.g. inadequate cooking)
Testing for Enterobacteriaceae is not applicable to fresh fruits and vegetables or foods
containing these.