This code covers low-acid refrigerated foods that are heat treated1 and are susceptible to outgrowth of pathogenic microorganisms during their extended shelf-life. The foods which the provisions of this code addresses are products that: · are intended to be refrigerated during their shelf life to retard or prevent the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms; · have an extended shelf life of more than 5 days2 ; · are heat treated or processed using other treatments to reduce their original microbiological population; · are low acid, that is, with pH > 4.6 and have high water activity aw > 0.92; · may use hurdles in addition to heat or other treatments and refrigeration, to retard or prevent the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms; · are packaged, not necessarily hermetically, before or after processing (heat or other preservation treatments); · may or may not require heating prior to consumption. Examples of such products are: · cooked refrigerated ready to eat meals, · cooked refrigerated ready to eat meats, poultry, seafood and their products, sauces, dips, vegetables, soups, egg products, pasta, ...