Table 3. Microbiological criteria defining DHM acceptability before pasteurization (n = 123).

Responses	n (%)
Total flora ≤102 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora <103 CFU/ml	3 (2)
Total flora <10⁴ CFU/ml	11 (9)
Total flora <10⁵ CFU/ml	10 (8)
Total flora <10⁵ to <10⁴ CFU/ml	3 (2)
Total flora <106 CFU/ml	6 (5)
Total flora 103−105 CFU/ml, other flora <103 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora <10⁵ CFU/ml, other flora <103 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora <10⁵ CFU/ml, pathogens = 0 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora ≤ 10⁵ CFU/ml, S. aureus ≤ 10⁴ CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora ≤ 10⁵ CFU/ml, S. aureus and Enterobacteriaceae ≤ 10⁴ CFU/ml (NICE guidelines)	10 (8)
Total flora ≤ 10⁵ CFU/ml, S. aureus and Enterobacteriaceae ≤ 10⁴ CFU/ml, Bacilli = 0 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora <10⁵ CFU/ml, S. aureus <10⁴ CFU/ml, Coliforms<103 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora ≤ 106 CFU/ml, S. aureus and Enterobacteriaceae ≤ 10⁴ CFU/ml, Bacilli = 0 CFU/ml	2 (2)
Total flora <106 CFU/ml, S. aureus <10⁴ CFU/ml a	16 (13)
Only when S. aureus <10⁴ CFU/ml b	9 (7)
Only when pathogens <10⁴ CFU/ml	2 (2)
DHM is assessed by the dornic acid test c	4 (3)
Swedish guidelines d	2 (2)
Not tested/Don’t know	18 (15)
Other e	13 (11)

^a, ^b, ^c This criterion is applied by HMBs located in one country only (n = 3 countries, one criterion per country)

^d refers to the exact response received (acceptance criteria were not specified in detail)

^e HMBs with different individual acceptance criteria (n = 13).