Price of the test:
$18 per analysis
Limit of Detection:
Solid food <10 CFU/g
Liquid <1 CFU/mL
Limits of Detection can vary based on customer specification and microorganism load
Sample Size Requirements:
100g
Equipment:
Standard Microbiology Equipment
Reportable Units:
CFU/g
CFU/mL
Turn Around Time:
7-9 Business Days
Is Rush Available?
No
Method Reference:
AOAC 966.23
Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods 4th Edition: Chapter 7
FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual: Chapter 3
Method Description:
Aliquots of the sample are pipetted into a petri dish containing a non-specific nutrient-rich media (Plate Count Agar) and incubated at 35°C under aerobic conditions for 48 hours.
Additional Information:
This assay is used to determine the number of aerobic mesophilic (growth at body temperatures i.e. 35° C) bacteria contained in a food product or ingredient.
No information about potential foodborne pathogens can be inferred from aerobic plate counts. Some foods (raw meats, raw commodities) may naturally contain high levels of aerobic mesophilic bacteria.