5. Level 3 Outcomes#

5.1. Definitions#

Applied at individual determination level for analytical tests and at sample level for labelling information. For each level 2 outcome the level 3 outcome indicates whether the result complies with the relevant standard or, if it does not, what the nature of the failure is. The level 3 outcome is represented by two numbers.

The level 3 outcomes that are currently in use are:

5.2. General#

A: Additive
B: Constituent
C: Nutritional Component
D: Undesirable Substances
E: Substitution
X: Radiation Monitoring

Code	Description	Guidance
00	Satisfactory	Applied when a determination performed on a food is deemed to comply with any relevant statutory limits, standards set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to meet any standards considered relevant by the Public Analyst reporting on the sample. This includes any standards applied by the Public Analyst that, in his/her opinion, are appropriate.
01	Above Numerical Limit or Standard	Applied when the result of a quantitative analysis, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is in excess of any relevant statutory limit, standard set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to exceed any standard considered relevant by the Public Analyst reporting on the sample.
02	Below Numerical Limit or Standard	Applied when the result of a quantitative analysis, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is below any relevant statutory limit, standard set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered below any standard considered relevant by the Public Analyst reporting on the sample.
03	Present but not permitted	Applied when the result of a quantitative or qualitative analysis indicates that a substance is present when that substance is not permitted to be present in that food. For example, this would be applied where a nonpermitted colouring matter is determined either quantitatively or qualitatively.
04	Present	Applied to the result of a qualitative analysis when the substance being determined is found to be present.
05	Absent	Applied to the result of a qualitative analysis when the substance being determined is found to be absent.

5.3. Labelling#

Code	Description	Guidance
80	Satisfactory	Applied when all the labelling information present on a food is considered to comply with statutory requirements and any other standards that are considered appropriate by the Public Analyst reporting on the sample.
81	Absent / Not Declared	Applied when any information that is required to be present on a sample is not present.
82	False or Misleading	Applied when any information that is required to be present on a food is factually incorrect or is presented in such a manner as to make an intending purchaser believe that some aspect of the food is other than it truly is.
83	Not Sufficiently Precise	Applied when any information that is required to be present on a food, whilst not being factually incorrect or presented in such a manner as to deliberately mislead is not sufficiently precise to indicate the true nature of the food. For example, this outcome should be used when the statutory name applied to a food is not sufficiently precise to inform an intending purchased of the true nature of the food and to allow it to be distinguished from other foods with which it might be confused.
84	Interrupted by Other Information	Applied when any information that is required to be present on a food as a single statement is interrupted by pictures or other text.
85	Incorrect Format	Applied when any information that is required to be present on a food is not presented in the format that it is required to be. For example this outcome should be used when the ingredient list is not headed by the word “Ingredients” or similar or the individual ingredient names are not presented in the required manner.
86	Incorrect Units	Applied when any numerical information that is required to be present on a food does not have the correct units associated with it. For example this outcome would be used when nutritional information was not presented in the required manner with the units specified by statute.

5.4. Microbiology#

Code	Description	Guidance
20	Satisfactory	Applied when a determination performed on a food is deemed to comply with any relevant statutory limits, standards set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to meet any standards considered relevant by the Public Analyst or Food Examiner reporting on the sample. This includes any standards applied by the Public Analyst or Food Examiner that, in his/her opinion, are appropriate.
21	RTE Guidelines - Acceptable	This classification of results is no longer used in the latest version of the RTE Guidelines so this outcome has been retired
22	RTE Guidelines - Borderline	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance against the Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market issued by the Health Protection Agency (the RTE Guidelines) and the result of the determination, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, has been found to meet the “Borderline” standard specified in those Guidelines.
23	RTE Guidelines - Unsatisfactory	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance against the Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market issued by the Health Protection Agency (the RTE Guidelines) and the result of the determination, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, has been found to meet the “Unsatisfactory” standard specified in those Guidelines. This outcome should not be used when pathogenic organisms are present that render the food potentially injurious to health and/or unfit for human consumption
24	RTE Guidelines - Unsatisfactory: Potentially injurious to health and/or unfit for human consumption - Pathogenic Organism Present	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance against the Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market issued by the Health Protection Agency (the RTE Guidelines) and the result of the determination, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, has been found to meet the “Unsatisfactory: Potentially injurious to health and/or unfit for human consumption” standard specified in those Guidelines due to the presence of pathogenic organisms.
25	Food Hygiene Regulations - Exceeds Numerical Standard; EMP	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations and the result of the determination, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, has been found to exceed the appropriate numerical standard for a food that is at the end of the manufacturing process.
26	Food Hygiene Regulations - Exceeds Numerical Standard; DSL	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations and the result of the determination, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, has been found to exceed the appropriate numerical standard for a food that is examined during its specified shelf life.
27	Food Hygiene Regulations - Pathogenic Organism Present; EMP	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations and is found to have pathogenic organisms present. This outcome should be applied when the food has been examined at the end of the manufacturing process.
28	Food Hygiene Regulations - Pathogenic Organism Present; DSL	Applied when the food has been assessed for compliance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations and is found to have pathogenic organisms present. This outcome should be applied when the food has been examined at the end of the manufacturing process.
29	Unsatisfactory - Reason not Specified	Applied when the food has been examined and found to be microbiologically unsatisfactory but the reason for this has not been specified. This outcome must not be used when the food has been assessed for compliance against the RTE Guidelines or the Food Hygiene Regulations.

5.5. Animal Feed#

P: Additives - Animal Feed
Q: Composition - Animal Feed
R: Undesirable Substances - Animal Feed

Code	Description	Guidance
40	Satisfactory	Applied when all the determinations performed on an animal feeding stuff are deemed to comply with any relevant statutory limits, standards set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to meet any standards considered relevant by the Public Analyst or Agricultural Analyst reporting on the sample. This includes any standards applied by the Public Analyst or Agricultural Analyst that, in his/her opinion, are appropriate.
41	Above maximum permitted level or standard	Applied when the result of a quantitative analysis, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is in excess of any relevant statutory limit, standard set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to exceed any standard considered relevant by the Public Analyst or Agricultural Analyst reporting on the sample.
42	Below maximum permitted level or standard	Applied when the result of a quantitative analysis, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is below any relevant statutory limit, standard set by any appropriate code of practice or where the results are considered to exceed any standard considered relevant by the Public Analyst or Agricultural Analyst reporting on the sample.
43	Above action threshold	Applied when the result of a quantitative determination of a pesticide, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is in excess of the action threshold specified in the relevant legislation.
44	Below action threshold	Applied when the result of a quantitative determination of a pesticide, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, below the action threshold specified in the relevant legislation.
45	Above recommended level	Applied when the result of a quantitative determination of a pesticide, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is in excess of the recommended level specified in the relevant legislation.
46	Below recommended level	Applied when the result of a quantitative determination of a pesticide, taking into account any measurement uncertainty, is below the recommended level specified in the relevant legislation.
47	Present	Applied to the result of a qualitative analysis when the substance being determined is found to be present.
48	Absent	Applied to the result of a qualitative analysis when the substance being determined is found to be absent.
29	Unsatisfactory – Reason not Specified	Applied when the food has been examined and found to be microbiologically unsatisfactory but the reason for this has not been specified. This outcome must not be used when the food has been assessed for compliance against the RTE Guidelines or the Food Hygiene Regulations.