Health Canada has published Notice of Proposal PMIC-2604 proposing updates to Canada's Table of Microbiological Criteria for Food and Table of Microbiological Reference Methods for Food, along with a new draft guidance document titled Microbiological Guidelines for Food. The proposal is part of the modernization of Part B of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and aims to strengthen food safety protections while aligning with current scientific evidence and international standards. Stakeholders may submit comments until 25 August 2026.
Products Covered: Chocolate products, cocoa products, dairy product powders, infant cereal, nuts and nut products, seeds and seed products, powdered infant formula, prepackaged water, prepackaged ice, spices, and dried aromatic herbs.
Proposed Microbiological Requirements:
Salmonella spp.: Absence required in dairy product powders, cocoa products, chocolate products, powdered infant formula, infant cereal, nuts and seeds, spices, and dried aromatic herbs.
Cronobacter spp.: Not detected in 10 g of powdered infant formula using a 30-sample testing plan.
Escherichia coli (E. coli): Less than 1.8 MPN/100 mL in prepackaged water and prepackaged ice.
Health Canada also proposes adding ISO 22964 – Microbiology of the food chain: Horizontal method for the detection of Cronobacter spp. as a new reference method. Additionally, the draft guidance introduces non-regulatory microbiological guidelines for Aerobic Colony Count (ACC), Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus group, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, applicable to dairy product powders, powdered infant formula, infant cereal, chocolate and cocoa products, nuts and seeds, prepackaged water and ice, and spices and dried herbs. The review will be implemented in two phases, with the current proposal covering the above product categories and a future phase addressing dairy products, fish and shellfish products, fruits and vegetables, meat products, and processed egg products.