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The International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) is a non-profit, scientific advisory body established in 1962 and is under the auspices of the International Union of Microbiological Societies  (IUMS). Through the IUMS, the Commission is linked to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Since its founding, the ICMSF has had a profound impact on the field of food microbiology by addressing such issues as methods development, sampling plans, microbiological criteria, and HACCP. Its activities and recommendations are published as books, papers or proceedings.

Books include:

• Microorganisms in Foods 1: Their Significance and Methods of Enumeration represents a major step in establishing a common understanding of, and developing standard methods for, important foodborne microorganisms. 2nd ed. (1978); reprinted 1982, 1988 with revisions. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN: 0802022936. Out of print.
• Microorganisms in Foods 2: Sampling for Microbiological Analysis: Principles and Specific Applications is the only comprehensive publication on statistically based sampling plans for foods. 2nd ed. (1986). Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN: 0802056938. Out of print, currently being extensively revised.
• Microorganisms in Foods 3: Microbial Ecology of Foods brings food spoilage and health risks into sharper focus through its study of how different food processes, ingredients, and product characteristics affect the microflora of foods. Vol. 1: Factors affecting life and death of microorganisms (ISBN: 0123635012). Vol. 2: Food commodities (ISBN: 0123635020). (1980). New York: Academic Press. Vol. 2 updated as Microorganisms in Foods 6: (below).
• Microorganisms in Foods 4: Application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) System to Ensure Microbiological Safety and Quality was the first complete book devoted solely to the development and implementation of HACCP. 1988. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. ISBN: 0632021810. Also published in paperback under the title HACCP in Microbiological Safety and Quality, 1988, ISBN: 0632021810
• Microorganisms in Foods 5: Characteristics of Microbial Pathogens is the only book to examine the characteristics of foodborne pathogens in relation to HACCP. 1996. London: Blackie Academic & Professional. ISBN: 041247350X. Available from Kluwer Publishers.
• Microorganisms in Foods 6: Microbial Ecology of Food Commodities brings up to date the previous edition (Vol 2) from 1980 taking account of developments in food processing and packaging, new ranges of products and foodborne pathogens that have emerged since then. London: Blackie Academic & Professional, 1998. ISBN: 0751404306. Available from Kluwer Publishers
• Microorganisms in Foods 7: Microbiological Testing in Food Safety Management. Continuing this excellent series, Microorganisms in Foods 7 describes the role of microbiological testing in modern food safety management systems. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 0306472627. Available from Kluwer Publishers.

ICMSF is periodically invited to advise national governments and Commissions of international bodies such as Codex Alimentarius, International Atomic Energy Agency and WHO.

In addition, ICMSF's specific methods testing studies have been invaluable to the food industry. For example, Salmonella studies established that standard 25-g sample units could be composited into much larger samples with no loss of sensitivity. As a result, the cost of performing Salmonella testing according to a statistically sound sampling plan has been lowered dramatically.