Description
The method is applicable for the quantitative determination of mesophilic Aeromonas species in foods and feeds. Mesophilic Aeromonas species may be quantitatively determined by inoculating a known amount of sample on the surface of Starch-Ampicillin-Agar (SAA) and incubating the plates at 37 °C for 24 hours. Presumptive Aeromonas spp. grow as yellow or honey-colored colonies with a diameter of 2-3 mm, surrounded by a light halo with a width of 2-3 mm. If the plates are covered with a few ml of Lugol’s solution, amylase-positive colonies will be surrounded by a clear halo of hydrolyzed starch against a black background.
This NMKL method has not been validated in an interlaboratory study.
The edition from 2004 was revised 8 May 2023, and the major revisions were: Updated description of the taxonomy of genus Aeromonas. Updated references to NMKL methods and procedures. Option for using commercially available selective growth media for isolation of Aeromonas spp. using similar or different selective principles in addition to SAA. The recommended number of colonies for confirmation is reduced to five, and the workflow for confirmation is described more comprehensively.