Vietnam: Port-of-entry microbiological testing of dairy products (2018-01)

Date of issue: 24 January 2018

Date of effect: Immediate

Attention:
Industries—Industry bodies – Dairy Australia
Export dairy establishments
Licensed exporters
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources—Central and Regional offices

Purpose

To remind exporters of Vietnam’s microbiological requirements for certain dairy products as set out in Vietnam’s Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT of 1 March 2012 Promulgating the national technical regulations on microbiological contaminants in food.

Summary of key points

The department is aware that Vietnamese authorities may undertake port-of-entry testing of imported food, including dairy products, to verify compliance with the Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT. The table below outlines the maximum limits of micro-organisms allowed for certain dairy products (Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT).

Limits of microbiological contamination in milk and dairy

No.	Product	Norm	Sampling plan		Allowed limit (CFU/ml or CFU/g)		Norm rating
No.	Product	Norm	n	c	m	M	Norm rating
1.1	Liquid dairy	Enterobacteriaceae	5	2	< 1	5	A
1.1	Liquid dairy	L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
1.2	Powdered dairy	Enterobacteriaceae	5	0	10¹		A
		Staphylococci positive for coagulase	5	2	10¹	10²	A
		Staphylococcal enterotoxin	5	0	KPH ⁽²⁾		B
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
		Salmonella	5	0	KPH ⁽²⁾		A
1.3	Cheese
1.3.1	Cheese from raw milk	Staphylococci positive for coagulase	5	2	10⁴	10⁵	A
		Staphylococcal enterotoxin	5	0	KPH ⁽²⁾		B
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
		Salmonella	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
1.3.2	Cheese from thermo-processed milk	E. coli	5	2	10²	10³	A
		Staphylococci positive for coagulase	5	2	10²	10³	A
		Staphylococcal enterotoxin	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		B
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	102		A
		Salmonella	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
1.3.3	Whey Cheese (From thermo-processed whey)	E. coli	5	2	10²	10³	A
		Staphylococci positive for coagulase	5	2	10²	10³	A
		Staphylococcus(Staphylococcal enterotoxin)	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		B
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
1.3.4	Fresh cheese from milk or whey(thermo-processed milk or whey)	Staphylococci positive for coagulase	5	2	10¹	10²	A
		Staphylococcal enterotoxin	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		B
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
	Other products from cheese	L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
1.4	Fat products from milk
1.4.1	Cream and butter	E. coli	5	2	10¹	10²	A
		L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
		Salmonella	5	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
1.4.2	Milk fat, butter, dehydrated milk fat, dehydrated butter	L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
1.5	Fermented dairy
1.5.1	Thermo-processed fermented dairy	Enterobacteriaceae	5	2	< 1	5	A
1.5.1	Thermo-processed fermented dairy	L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A
1.5.2	Fermented dairy not being thermo-processed	L. monocytogenes⁽¹⁾	5	0	10²		A

⁽¹⁾ for instant-use products
⁽²⁾ in 25g or 25ml

Limits of microbiological contamination in nutrition products for 0 – 36 months old kids

No.	Product	Norm	Sampling plan		Allowed limit (CFU/g)		Norm rating
No.	Product	Norm	n	c	m	M	Norm rating
5.1	Powdered nutrition products for kids up to 12 months old	Salmonella	30	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
		Enterobacter sakazakii	30	0	KPH⁽⁴⁾		A
		Enterobacteriaceae	10	0	KPH⁽⁴⁾		B
		Bacillus cereus	5	1	5x10¹	5x10²	B
5.2	Special medical-use nutrition products for kids up to 12 months old	Salmonella	30	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
		Enterobacter sakazakii	30	0	KPH⁽⁴⁾		A
		Enterobacteriaceae	10	0	KPH⁽⁴⁾		B
		Assumed Bacillus cereus	5	1	5x10¹	5x10²	B
5.3	Nutrition products for supplementary feeding for kids from 6 to 36 months old	Enterobacteriaceae	5	0	KPH⁽⁴⁾		B
5.3		Salmonella	30	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A
5.4	Food from cereals for kids from 6 to 36 months old	Coliform	5	2	< 3	20	A
5.4	Food from cereals for kids from 6 to 36 months old	Salmonella	10	0	KPH⁽²⁾		A

⁽¹⁾ for instant-use products
⁽²⁾ in 25g or 25ml
⁽⁴⁾ in 10g or 10ml

Abbreviations

n: the number of samples from the consignments to be tested.
c: the maximum amount of samples of which the test results are allowed to lie between m and M. For n samples tested, only c samples are allowed to have the test results lie between m and M.
m: lower limit, it is considered passed if all the test results of n samples do not exceed m.
M: upper limit, it is considered failed if only one test result of n samples exceeds M.
KPH: not detected
Norm A: is the norm required to be tested during the conformity assessment.
Norm B: is the norm not being required to be tested during the conformity assessment if the producers already take risk control measures in the production (HACCP or GMP). If the producer omits to take risk control measures, these norms are compelled to be tested.

Consequences for breaches in microbiological limits

Breaches of microbiological limits may result in the consignment being seized and ordered for re-export or destruction, and the importer may be fined.

The department is working with Vietnamese authorities to further its understanding of the application of this regulation and, if possible, improve import conditions.

The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.

Further information

Contact Exports if you have any queries.