The aim of this targeted campaign was to assess the microbiological safety of ready meals placed on the market by small-scale commercial operators (e.g. catering establishments, butchers, direct-to-consumer agricultural retailers) with a best-before date of several weeks. In addition, compliance with labelling regulations was checked.

90 samples from across Austria were analysed. 65 samples were rejected (in some cases on multiple occasions):

• 65 samples were rejected due to labelling deficiencies
• One sample was found to be in breach of the batch labelling regulation

No deficiencies were found in the samples examined with regard to microbiological safety.