Free movement of milk and milk products through the European single market implies adherence to sanitary rules and conformity with hygienic criteria. Hygienic criteria for milk and milk products are specific to the dairy matrix.
Definition of a criterion, that is the targeted component and its satisfactory limit, is based on the analytical method applied to measure it. Therefore, hygienic criteria enforced within the European market are defined by reference methods. Reference methods are usually not handy to apply in routine, so that the European lawmaker let the possibility to use more convenient methods. Alternative methods can be used on condition that they give equivalent results as the reference ones and that the equivalency of the results has been demonstrated by a defined validation scheme.
For control purposes, analytical methods are applied in a network of public and private laboratories that met the general competence requirements of the ISO 17025 standard. Harmonization of the methods implementation within this network is promoted through reference laboratories.
