Minimum infective dose (MID) data has been recognized as an important and absolutely needed in microbiological assessment (QMRA). In this study, we performed a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis to better quantify this association. The meta-analysis applied a final selection of 82 published papers for total 12 species disease pathogens (bacteria 9, virus 2, and parasite 1 species) which were iden- tified and classified based on the dose-response models related to QMRA studies from PubMed, ScienceDirect data- base and internet websites during 1980-2012. The main search keywords used the combination food, foodborne disease pathogen, infective dose, and quantitative microbiological risk assessment. The appropriate minimum infective dose for B. cereus, C. jejuni, Cl. perfringens, Pathogenic E. coli (EHEC, ETEC, EPEC, EIEC), L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., S. aureus, V. parahaemolyticus, Hepatitis A virus, Noro virus, and C. pavum were 10 5 cells/g (fi = 0.32), 500 cells/g (fi = 0.57), 10 7 cells/g (fi = 0.56), 10 cells/g (fi = 0.47) / 10 8 cells/g (fi = 0.71) / 10 6 cells/g (fi = 0.70) / 10 6 cells/g (fi = 0.60), 10 2 ~10 3 cells/g (fi = 0.23), 10 cells/g (fi = 0.30), 100 cells/g (fi = 0.32), 10 5 cells/g (fi = 0.45), 10 6 cells/g (fi = 0.64), 10~10 2 particles/g (fi = 0.33), 10 particles/g (fi = 0.71), and 10~10 2 oocyst/g (fi = 0.33), respectively. Therefore, these results provide the preliminary data necessary for the devel-