Description
Aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms. Enumeration of bacterial spores (Part A). Enumeration on blood agar (Part B).
NMKL 189 Ed. 3. 2024: the method was split in Part A and Part B. This NMKL method has not been validated in an interlaboratory study.
NMKL 189 A. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Part A Enumeration of bacterial spores.
This method is a routine method for the enumeration of aerobic or anaerobic bacterial spores (spore count). The method is applicable for monitoring bacterial spores in all kinds of food, feed, or water. This method describes a procedure for monitoring bacterial spores in the production process and in control of all kinds of food, feed or water. It is a useful tool for determining the heat treatment needed in a production process or the shelf-life of a product. Tryptone soya agar has been introduced as an option for determination of spore counts.
NMKL 189 B. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Part B Enumeration on blood agar.
This method is a routine method for the enumeration of aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms on blood agar. The method is applicable for monitoring aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms in all kinds of food, feed, or water. This method describes a procedure for monitoring bacteria in the production process and in control of all kinds of food, feed or water. It is a useful tool for determining the heat treatment needed in a production process or the shelf-life of a product. It can also be used as a supplementary analysis when investigating causes of suspected food or waterborne infections or poisoning. This method does not replace Aerobic Plate Count (NMKL No. 86), but it may be used as a supplement. For example, surface inoculation on blood agar may give valuable information regarding the colony morphology and hemolytic activity of the colonies present in the sample. No further changes have been introduced to the method for determination of aerobic and/or anaerobic count on blood agar.
