ISO 6887-2-2017 PDF

Full title and description

Microbiology of the food chain — Preparation of test samples, initial suspension and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 2: Specific rules for the preparation of meat and meat products. This part gives specific sample‑preparation rules to be used when meat and meat products require different handling than described in ISO 6887‑1, covering fresh, processed and various forms of meat and related products.

Abstract

ISO 6887‑2:2017 defines the specific procedures for preparing meat and meat‑product samples, and for producing the initial suspensions and decimal dilutions used in microbiological examination. It complements ISO 6887‑1 (general rules) and excludes carcass sampling and primary production stage sample preparation, which are covered by other ISO documents. The document applies to a wide range of meat matrices including raw, refrigerated, frozen, cured, fermented, minced, comminuted, mechanically separated and cooked, dried or smoked products, as well as concentrated extracts and excision/swab samples from carcasses where applicable.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed at last ISO review).
• Publication date: 2017-03 (Edition 2 published in March 2017).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 07.100.30 — Food microbiology.
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2017).
• Number of pages: 9 (ISO published page count; national/adopted versions or formatted PDFs from other publishers may show different page counts).

Scope

Specifies specific rules for the preparation of test samples, initial suspensions and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination of meat and meat products when preparation differs from ISO 6887‑1. Applicable to many product types (raw, processed, comminuted, dried/smoked, cooked, concentrated extracts, swabs/excisions) but excludes carcass sampling (see ISO 17604) and primary production sample preparation (see ISO 6887‑6).

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and terms specific to meat and meat‑product matrices used for microbiological preparation.
• Specific instructions for homogenization, representative sub‑sampling and preparation of initial suspensions for a range of meat product types.
• Guidance on decimal dilution procedures and calculation of dilution factors appropriate for meat matrices.
• Recommendations on handling frozen, dried, cured, fermented, comminuted and mechanically separated meat samples to avoid bias in microbiological results.
• Reference to exclusions where detection/enumeration details are specified in other method‑specific standards.

Typical use and users

Used by food‑microbiology laboratories, quality assurance teams in meat processing and manufacturing, regulatory laboratories, method developers and accreditation bodies to ensure consistent, reproducible and internationally harmonized sample preparation for microbiological testing of meat and meat products.

Related standards

Closely linked with ISO 6887‑1 (general rules for preparation of initial suspensions and dilutions), ISO 17604 (carcass sampling), ISO 6887‑6 (primary production stage), and other horizontal and method‑specific microbiological standards used for enumeration and detection of particular organisms in food matrices.

Keywords

sample preparation, meat products, food microbiology, initial suspension, decimal dilutions, homogenization, ISO 6887, meat testing, microbiological examination

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 6887‑2:2017 is the part of the ISO 6887 series that provides specific rules for preparing meat and meat‑product test samples and their initial suspensions and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample‑preparation techniques (homogenization, subsampling, suspension and dilution) tailored to various meat matrices (raw, cooked, cured, dried, minced, mechanically separated, etc.), and indicates where other standards specify preparation for particular test methods.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Microbiology laboratories, meat processors, quality managers, regulatory and accreditation bodies, and test method developers who require standardized preparation procedures for reliable microbiological testing of meat products.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document is the 2017 (second) edition and, per ISO review, was confirmed during the regular review cycle (confirmed status noted by ISO). Users should check the ISO catalogue or national adoption bodies for any amendments or later confirmations before use.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 2 of the ISO 6887 series (which includes Part 1: general rules, and other parts addressing specific food categories such as fish, milk products and primary production stages).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Sample preparation, meat, food microbiology, initial suspension, decimal dilution, homogenization, ISO 6887‑2.