European Union (Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 474 of 2012).

These Regulations give further effect to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1441/2007 Commission Regulation (EU) No. 365/2010 and Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1086/2011. They lay down microbiological food safety criteria and process hygiene criteria for certain important foodborne bacteria, their toxins and metabolites. They appoint the competent authority for purposes of the EU Regulation and require food business operators to take measures, as part of their procedures based on HACCP, at each stage of production, processing, and distribution, including retail, to ensure that foodstuffs comply with the relevant microbiological criteria set out in Annex I to the EU Regulation.