EFSA developed an updated guidance document on the submission of data for the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of decontaminating substances for the removal of microbial surface contamination of foods of animal origin intended for human consumption (referred to as ‘food’). The decontaminating substances may be either chemicals (e.g. carboxylic acids, peroxy acids or proteins), biological agents (e.g. bacteriophages) or combinations thereof. The purpose of the treatment, including the food(s) and the pathogenic microorganisms intended to be targeted, the application methods (e.g. dipping, spraying) and conditions of the treatment used (e.g. concentration) need to be stated. Information to be provided relates to (i) the safety to humans of the applied substances and their reaction products (including degradation products) remaining in the treated food; (ii) the efficacy, i.e. whether a reduction of the prevalence and/or numbers of target pathogenic microorganisms is consistently achieved and is statistically significant compared to a control sample; (iii) the potential emergence of acquired reduced susceptibility to the substance itself and/or to other biocides and/or of resistance to therapeutic antimicrobials; and (iv) the environmental safety of the decontaminating substances.