Survey of and Microbiological Guidelines for Chocolate and Chocolate Products in Canada

Abstract The microbiological quality and safety of domestic and imported finished chocolate products and liquid chocolate base were determined using aerobic colony counts (ACC), aerobic spore-formers (ASF), confirmed and faecal coliforms and Salmonella . Using these survey results, the following 3-class acceptance plans are recommended: ACC, n = 5, c = 2, m = 3 × 10 4 /g, M = 1 × 10 6 /g; confirmed coliforms, n = 5, c = 2, m = 1.8/g, M = 100/g. Imported chocolate products were found to be higher in ACC than were domestic and they had higher predicted lot rejection rates. All products tested were found to be Salmonella negative.