This standard is intended for guidelines and principles for establishment and application of microbiological criteria to food to provide a framework for national governments and food business operators on the establishment and application of microbiological criteria that can be applied for food safety and other aspects of food hygiene. Microbiological criteria established for the monitoring of the food processing environment are not in the scope of this standard. Microbiological criteria can be applied, but are not limited to, to the following: - Bacteria, viruses, moulds, yeasts, and algae; - Protozoa and helminthes; - Their toxins/metabolites; and Their markers associated with pathogenicity (e.g. virulence-related genes or plasmids) or other traits (e.g. anti-microbial resistance genes) where/when linked to the presence of viable cells where appropriate.