ISO 6887-2:2017

Overview

ISO 6887-2:2017 - Microbiology of the food chain - Part 2 - provides specific rules for preparing meat and meat product samples, initial suspensions and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination. It supplements the general procedures in ISO 6887‑1 where meat products require different handling. The standard covers fresh, raw and processed meats, poultry and game (refrigerated or frozen, cured, fermented, minced, mechanically separated, cooked, dried/smoked, concentrated extracts) and includes excision and swab samples from carcasses. It excludes carcass sampling methods (see ISO 17604) and primary production stage sample preparation (see ISO 6887‑6).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of application: refrigerated/frozen, cured, minced, cooked, dried/smoked meats, meat preparations and extracts, and surface (swab/excision) samples.
• Relation to ISO 6887‑1: ISO 6887‑1 defines general diluents, aseptic technique and dilution principles; ISO 6887‑2 gives meat‑specific deviations and procedures.
• Aseptic technique and equipment: laboratory sterilization practices per ISO 7218; specific apparatus such as a portable gas blowtorch for cauterizing surfaces and a sterilizable template/frame for delineating surface sampling areas.
• Sample‑type handling: guidance for blocks/large cuts, slices, fragments/shavings, trimmings, sausages (skins), cooked meats, chicken/duck feet and packaged products.
• Representative test portions: use whole laboratory sample if ≤ 50 g; homogenize fragments/trimmings; take strips from slice centers for depth analysis.
• Special procedures: disinfect or cauterize non‑edible skins before removal; keep edible skins when intended for consumption; example initial suspension for chicken/duck feet - add nine times the sample mass of diluent and massage to make a 1 in 10 suspension.
• Diluents and further dilutions: follow ISO 6887‑1 for diluent choice and decimal dilution procedures.
• Exclusions: preparation details specified by other International Standards for particular enumeration or detection methods are not replaced by this document.

Applications and who uses it

• Food microbiology laboratories performing pathogen detection and microbial enumeration on meat products.
• Meat processors and QA/QC teams implementing standardized sample prep for in‑house testing and supplier control.
• Regulatory bodies and auditors validating laboratory methods and hygiene monitoring.
• Research labs studying meat microbiota where reproducible sample preparation and dilution protocols are required.

ISO 6887-2:2017 ensures consistent, representative sample preparation for reliable microbiological testing across a wide range of meat and meat product types.

Related standards

• ISO 6887‑1 (General rules for initial suspension and decimal dilutions)
• ISO 7218 (General requirements for microbiological examinations)
• ISO 17604 (Carcass sampling)
• ISO 18593 (Surface sampling using swabs and contact plates)
• Other parts of the ISO 6887 series