Decree No. 4 of 1998 of the Ministry of Health on the allowable limits of microbiological contamination of foodstuffs.

Inspection of microbiological food safety is binding on foodstuffs, food additives, treated food, raw food and food ingredients specified in Article 2 of the Law No. XC of 1995 on foodstuffs; on the equipment and any surface and packaging material being in direct contact with food (technological agents); and on persons dealing with, handling or processing foodstuffs. Procedures of microbiological analyses and judgement of foodstuffs are set out in Annex 1. It contains rules of sampling, the list of compulsory analyses and limit values, and instructions for the evaluation of results. Distribution, utilization for human consumption, and, temporarily, the production of food must be prohibited when the contamination exceeds the limit values of micro-organisms or pathogens; when any kind of microtoxin is traceable in infant and dietary food; and if the food is very probably, on the basis of epidemiological inspection, contaminated by pathogenic micro-organism. Foodstuffs, which are not up to standards, may not be used for human consumption without transformation. Inspection of the equipment and technological agents, cleanliness of personnel is covered by Annex 3. Annex 4 proposes analyses and limit values for facultative internal quality control, which do not substitute official inspection.