Papers
The ICMSF is a scientific advisory body that provides information through extensive study, and makes recommendations without prejudice based on that information. Results of the studies are published as books, discussion documents, or refereed papers and are detailed below. Contributions by current and former ICMSF members to the Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA) series of FAO/WHO’s JEMRA can be found following the link below.
JEMRA / MRA contributions of ICMSF members
Papers published by ICMSF members and consultants that are strongly related to ICMSF activities are listed in detail below, but ICMSF members are active in other, related areas, and also publish in a broader domain of food microbiology, microbiology, food technology, consumer behaviour, etc. Together the ICMSF members and consultants have an impressive 130,000 citations to their work (of which >40,000 relate to the last 5 years) and collectively have an h-factor of 165, i.e, there are 165 papers that have 165 or more citations. Follow the link below to see the collective published output.
Google Scholar overview of ICMSF
This collective output attests to the combined scientific expertise, knowledge bases, broadness of scope and activity, and outreach of members of the Commission.
Specific ICMSF- related publications:
Letter to the editor regarding “Testing Program Critical Control Points (TP-CCP): Characterizing and Optimizing Decision-making Power in Food Safety Testing (Mosso et al., 2025)”
Robert L. Buchanan, Darrell W. Donahue, Marcel H. Zwietering on behalf of ICMSF (2025)
Journal of Food Protection 88 (12), 100663
A Hazard Does Not Always Equate to a Risk: Cronobacter is a rare
opportunistic pathogen and the greatest risk is only for a small
sub-population of infants and only associated with powdered infantformula or human breast milk
John A. Donaghy, Marcel H. Zwietering, Jeffrey M. Farber, for ICMSF (2025)
Trends in Food Science and Technology 157: 104890
Effectiveness of an increasingly stringent microbiological process hygiene criterion to control Campylobacter in broiler carcasses
Marcel H. Zwietering, Wayne Anderson, Jeffrey M. Farber, Leon G.M. Gorris, Heidy M.W. den Besten (2023)
Food Control 153: 108862
Big Data Impacting Dynamic Food Safety Risk Management in the Food Chain
John Donaghy, Michelle Danyluk, Tom Ross, Bobby Krishna and Jeff Farber (2021)
Frontiers in Microbiology 12: 668196
Paper
Alternative approaches to the risk management of Listeria monocytogenes in low risk foods
Jeffrey M. Farber, Marcel Zwietering, Martin Wiedmann, Don Schaffner, Craig W. Hedberg, Mark A. Harrison, Emma Hartnett, Ben Chapman, Catherine W. Donnelly, Karin E. Goodburn, Sanjay Gummalla (2021)
Food Control 123, 107601
Paper – Annexure 1 – Annexure 2
SARS-CoV-2 and Risk to Food Safety
Anelich LECM, Lues R, Farber JM, Parreira VR (2020)
Frontiers in Nutrition 7: 580551
Paper
ICMSF opinion on SARS-CoV-2 and its relationship to food safety
ICMSF (2020)
Paper
Operationalising a performance objective with a microbiological criterion using a risk-based approach
ICMSF (2015)
Paper
Usefulness of testing for Clostridium botulinum in powdered infant formula and dairy-based ingredients for infant formula
ICMSF (2014)
Paper
Validation of control measures in a food chain using the FSO concept
Zwietering MH, Stewart CM, Whiting RC, ICMSF (2010)
Food Control 21:1716-1722
Paper on ScienceDirect
Relating microbiological criteria to food safety objectives and performance objectives
van Schothorst, M., Zwietering, M., Ross, T., Buchanan B., Cole, M. (2009)
Food Control, 20:967-979.
ICMSF
Paper
Use of epidemiologic data to measure the impact of food safety control programs
ICMSF (2006)
Food Control 17:825–837
Paper on ScienceDirect
A simplified guide to understanding and using food safety objectives and performance objectives
ICMSF (2005)
Guide
Papers presented at the 36th annual meeting of the Swiss Society for Food Hygiene in October 2003
ICMSF (2004)
Published as communications in Mitteilungen aus Lebensmitteluntersuchung und Hygiene 95(1). They can be downloaded below for personal use. Copyright remains with the journal.
Principles of risk analysis as applied to microbial food safety concerns – Buchanan, B
Food safety objectives – concept and current status – Cole, M
Performance objectives and performance criteria – two sides of the food chain – Gorris, L
Microbiological criteria – purpose and limitations – Cordier, J-L
Microbiological sampling plans – statistical aspects – Dahms, S
Environmental sampling – a tool to verify the effectiveness of preventive hygienic measure – Tompkin, B
Application of the food safety objective concept to the problem of aflatoxins in peanuts – Pitt, J
How to meet an FSO – Control of Listeria monocytogenes in the smoked fish industry – Gram, L
Principles for the establishment of microbiological food safety objectives and related control measures
ICMSF, M van Schothorst, Secretary (1998)
Food Control 9(6): 379–384
Paper on ScienceDirect
The International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF): Update
Roberts TA, van Schothorst M., Sharpe AN., BairdParker AC., Bryan FL., Buchanan RL, Busta FF, Doyle MP, Farkas J, Grau FH, Hobbs BC, Jouve JL, Mendoza S, Merican Z, Quevedo F, Pitt JI, Teufel P., Tompkin RB (1996).
Food Control 7(2): 99-101
Paper on ScienceDirect
Report from the ICMSF: Prevention and control of foodborne salmonellosis through application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP)
Simonsen B, Bryan FL, Christian JHB, Roberts TA, Tompkin RB, Silliker JH (1987)
Int J Food Microbiol 4: 227–247
Paper on ScienceDirect
Report from the ICMSF: Prevention and control of foodborne salmonellosis through application of the hazard analysis critical control point system
Simonsen B, Bryan FL, Christian JHB, Roberts TA, Silliker JH, Tompkin RB) (1986)
WHO/CDS/VPH/86.65, World Health Organization, Geneva
Paper on WHO website
Microbiological Criteria for Foods (Summary of recommendations of FAO/WHO expert consultations and working groups 1975-1981)
Christian JHB (1983)
WHO/VPH/83.54, World Health Organization, Geneva
Paper on WHO website
The microbiology of specific frozen foods in relation to public health: report of an international committee
Thatcher FS (1963)
Journal of Applied Bacteriology 26:266–285
Paper on Society for Applied Bacteriology website