Question

Absence of Salmonella in __________ /g of Infant Food is considered as a food safety criteria according to FSSAI regulation

• A. 50
• B. 125
• C. 25
• D. 100

Hint:

For almost all regulatory standards globally (including FSSAI, USFDA, and ISO), the standard analytical sample unit for testing the presence of Salmonella in food is always \(25\text{ g}\).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Food safety regulations globally enforce a zero-tolerance policy for pathogenic bacteria in vulnerable food categories like infant nutrition.
Salmonella is an invasive enteric pathogen capable of causing severe salmonellosis, bacteremia, and systemic infections in infants due to their underdeveloped immune systems and high stomach pH.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations (Microbiological Standards for Milk and Milk Products), microbiological limits are categorized into Process Hygiene Criteria and Food Safety Criteria.
For highly critical pathogens like Salmonella in Infant Milk Food, Infant Formula, and follow-up formula:
- The regulatory limit specifies that the pathogen must be "Absent in 25 g" of the sample.
- During testing, a representative sample size of \(25\text{ g}\) is enriched in selective media (such as Buffered Peptone Water, followed by Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth) and plated on selective agar.
If even a single Salmonella cell is detected in the \(25\text{-gram}\) sample, the entire batch of infant food is rejected as a serious food safety hazard.

Step 3: Final Answer:
According to FSSAI regulations, Salmonella must be completely absent in \(25\text{ g}\) of infant food.