G/SPS/N/SAU/137
11 December 2014
(14-7215)  Page: 1/3
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Microbiological criteria for f oodstuffs (ICS Code: 67.050) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/The Cooperation Council 
for the Arab States of the Gulf Draft Technical Regulation for: "Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs"   Language(s): Arabic and English  Number of pages: 46 and 33 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/SAU/14_5406_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/SAU/14_5406_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: This draft technical regulation applies to microbiological limits 
for some foodstuffs intended for human consumption, and for some food ingredients 
used in the food industry.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text)  
- Codex standard 292-2008. Standard for live and raw bivalve mollusks. 
- CAC/GL 50-2004 General guidelines on sampling.  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   G/SPS/N/SAU/137 
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  
- Brockmann, S., Piechotowski, I., Kimmig, P. (2004). Salmonella in sesame seed 
products. J Food Prot 67 (1), pp. 178-180.  
- Bull, A., Crerar, S., and Beers, M. (2002). Australia's Imported Food Program - a 
valuable source of information on microorganisms in foods. CDI 26(1), 28-32. (11, 30).  
- Commission regulation (EC) No. 1441/2007 of 5 December 2007 amending 
Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 on microbiologi cal criteria for foodstuffs. Official J 
Eur. Union. (1, 25). (1, 36). (1, 19). (1, 21).  
- Food Administration Manual, S.11: Microbiological Reference Criteria for Food, 
Version 2 (1995), pp. 25,16,15,14, 17, 21, 23, 18, 19 and 20.  
- Gilbert, RJ Louvois, J de Donovan, T & others (2000). Guidelines for the 
microbiological quality of some ready-to-eat foods sampled at the point of sale. 
Commun Dis Public Health, 3 (3): 163-7.  
- GSO 1017/98 Edible essential water rose water - flower water.  - GSO 1320/2002 Soft candy.  
- GSO 1821/2007 General standard for fruit juices and nectars.  
- GSO 1822/2007 Cream caramel powder.  - GSO 1968/2009 Concentrated cane syrup.  
- GSO 1969/2009 Liquorice root.  
- GSO 222/2005 Table olives.  - GSO 263/1994 Hard candy.  - Guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods placed on 
the market. London: Health protection agency, November 2009.  
- Hasell, S., Salter, M. (2003). Review of the microbiological standards for foods. Food 
Control 14, pp. 391-398. Ref12, 395.  
- Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) Standards and Guidelines for 
Microbiological Safety of Food - An Interpretive Summery - 2008. Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIC).  
- International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICMSF). 
Microorganisms in foods-2. Sampling for microbiological analysis: principles & specific applications (1986) 2nd.   
- Isolation and Enumeration of Cronobacter sakazakii from dehydrated powdered 
infant formula, FDA US, 2002.  
- Standard 1.6.1 - Microbiological Limits for Food. Volume 2 of the Food Standards 
Code, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (ANZFA), 2001.  
- Tomato products - specification, part-3: Sauce and ketchup, 2005. Kenya Bureau of 
Standards (KEBS).  
- Varga, L. (2007).  Microbiological quality of commercial dairy products. 
Communicating Current Research and Educational Topics and Trends in Applied 
Microbiology A. Méndez-Vilas (Ed.), pp. 487-494.  
- http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/peanutbu.pdf .  
- Dean O Clayfire, translation by Prof.  Dr . Mesfer Al Daqel, Dr Ismaeell Al Shayb 
(2010), food-borne diseases.   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined. G/SPS/N/SAU/137 
 
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  11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :   
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 9 February 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
SPS Enquiry point, Saudi food & Drug Authority 
SFDA - 3292 North Ring road Al Nafel Area Unt (1) - Riyadh 13312 - 6288 Tel: +(966 11) 203 8222, ext. 3331 Fax: +(966 11) 210 9825 
E-mail: SPSEP.Food@sfda.gov.sa 
Website: http://www.sfda.gov.sa  
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
SPS Enquiry point, Saudi food & Drug Authority  
SFDA - 3292 North Ring road Al Nafel Area Unt (1) - Riyadh 13312 - 6288 
Tel: +(966 11) 2038222, ext. 3331 Fax: +(966 11) 210 9825 E-mail: SPSEP.Food@sfda.gov.sa 
Website: http://www.sfda.gov.sa