Automated Test Speeds Enterobacteriaceae Enumeration

A new automated test delivers an Enterobacteriaceae count, including confirmation, in 22 hours.

The automated system uses media containing a fluorescent indicator based on the formula of traditional culture media. The system contains three levels of 16 wells offering most probable number (MPN) precision. Each well corresponds to a dilution tube and the size of the well corresponds to one of three levels of dilution. Once the culture-media sample is distributed in the wells, the bacteria metabolize the culture-media and the system uses the MPN method to calculate the micro-organism content of the original sample.

BioMérieux (Grenoble, France), an in vitro diagnostics firm, introduced this rapid new automated system for Enterobacteriaceae enumeration, called Tempo EB. The traditional EN-ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 21528-2 method requires a two-step confirmation that can take 72 hours, leading to costly processing delays in food plants.

Enumeration methods are not used for detecting specific pathogens, but to determine the amount of groups of bacteria. These quality indicators allow industries to determine their level of process contamination. Enterobacteriaceae enumeration is the key hygiene parameter in the latest European regulation on microbiologic criteria for food. The Enterobacteriaceae family includes important food spoilage agents as well as pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichea coli.




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