Includes food processing plants, commercial kitchens, and animal feed facilities.
It is used to estimate the level of contamination on surfaces that could represent a source of recontamination for the food itself. Standard Sampling Techniques This standard is a "horizontal method," meaning it
It does not cover primary production (covered by ISO 13307 ), carcass sampling (covered by ISO 17604), or virus sampling (covered by ISO 15216-1). Scope and Application of ISO 18593 The standard
This standard is a "horizontal method," meaning it applies across the entire food chain—from raw material processing to final packaging—rather than being restricted to one specific product. each suited to different surface types:
The standard, officially titled "Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal methods for surface sampling," provides the essential framework for environmental monitoring in food production. Updated in 2018, this standard defines the "how-to" for collecting samples from equipment, floors, and walls to detect or count microorganisms like Listeria , Salmonella , yeasts, and molds. Scope and Application of ISO 18593
The standard details four primary methods for surface sampling, each suited to different surface types: