News
29.07.2025 - Foods
Update of the DGHM Recommendations
Update of DGHM Recommendations
Microbiological Guidelines and Warning Values for Food
Below we would like to point out the latest updates of the DGHM recommendations.
For numerous product groups of food, the "Permanent Working Group for Microbiological Guidelines and Warning Values for Food of the DGHM e.V." (German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology) publishes guidelines and warning values for the assessment of microbiological examination results. These criteria are intended to assist in the assessment of the hygienic-microbiological quality of food. In contrast to the legal criteria of Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, DGHM recommendations are not legally binding. We have included the innovations in the DGHM recommendations in our test plans.
New or updated recommendations for:
• Cooked products, dry soups, dry stews, dry sauces that need to be boiled before consumption (No. 6.1)
The new recommendation remains without change to the parameters and values.
The following examination parameters are included here:
- Aerobic mesophilic colony count
- Enterobacteriaceae
- Escherichia coli
- Presumptive Bacillus cereus
- Clostridium perfringens
- Molds
- Salmonella
• Instant products (No. 6.2). Products include in footnote a) Instant products stirred cold (e.g., mousse, pudding, desserts…) and poured hot (e.g., rice pudding, semolina pudding…)
The new recommendation remains without change to the parameters and values.
The following examination parameters are included here:
- Aerobic mesophilic colony count
- Enterobacteriaceae
- Escherichia coli
- Coagulase-positive Staphylococci
- Presumptive Bacillus cereus
- Molds
- Salmonella
Cooked and instant products are each dry products. The difference between the two product groups lies primarily in the intended use. Boiling before consumption is intended for cooked products, while instant products are stirred cold or only briefly heated before consumption ("poured hot").
The DGHM recommendations are available for a fee at https://www.dghm-richt-warnwerte.de/de.
New drafts are available below and are freely accessible at www.dghm.org.
• Raw cured products at the trade level (No. 3.3): Recommendations for coagulase-positive Staphylococci are reduced by one logarithmic scale compared to previously. New for coagulase-positive Staphylococci: Guideline value 1x102 CFU/g; Warning value 1x103 CFU/g
• Raw mussels and raw mussel meat (No. 5.5)
• Frozen patisserie products with unbaked filling (No. 9.4). New footnote b): If raw plant ingredients are added, this must be considered in the assessment.
• Patisserie products with unbaked filling (No. 9.5). New footnote a): If raw plant ingredients are added, this must be considered in the assessment.
The following recommendations are currently under revision and may be revised:
• Ripened brine cheese (No. 1.3)
• Cow's milk mozzarella (No. 1.4)
• Sandwiches and filled rolls (No. 7.1)
• Heat-treated, ready-to-eat meals/dishes (No. 7.4)
• Mayonnaise, dressings, salad sauces (No. 8.2)
• Mueslis and flakes with only heat-treated ingredients (No. 9.6)
• Whole, crushed, and ground nuts (No. 11.3)
• Mixed salads (packaged goods) (No. 12.1)
General
We would like to draw your attention again to the change in procedure for the application of drafts since 2024. The drafts will only be applied for assessment when the drafts become recommendations (change to the preamble of the DGHM recommendations in 2024).
Recommendations under revision remain valid.
Since our managing director Paul Andrei is a member of the working group "Microbiological Guidelines and Warning Values for Food of the DGHM e.V.", we are always up to date on these topics.
We are very happy to answer any questions you may have.
Source: Lebensmittelverband Deutschland e.V.: Member information L-527-2025 dated 23.07.2025