This standard specifies rules for the preparation of meat and meat product samples and their suspension for microbiological examination when the samples require a different preparation from the method described in ISO 6887-1. ISO 6887-1 defines the general rules for the preparation of the initial suspension and decimal delutions for microbiological examination. This part of ISO 6887 only describes methods of preparation that are applicable to several microorganisms simultaneously. It excludes the preparations that only apply to the detection and/or enumeration of a single microorganism where the method of preparation is described in the relevant standard concerning that microorganism.