Numerous procedures in medicine and biology require cells to be counted. In almost all cases, what counts is actually the concentration of cells. Concentration is assessed by counting cells in a known culture volume. For example, the concentration of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in the blood or bodily fluids provides information about the progression of an infectious disease and how a person's immune system copes with the infection.
There are several ways to determine the number of microorganisms in a sample. A living cell count allows to identify the number of actively growing and dividing cells in a sample. The plate count method or spread plate is based on bacteria growing a colony on a nutrient medium. The colony becomes visible to the naked eye and the number of colonies in a plate can be counted. To be effective, the dilution of the original sample is arranged so that an average of 30 to 300 colonies of the target bacteria are grown. Fewer than 30 colonies statistically invalidate interpretation, while more than 300 colonies often result in overlapping colonies and inaccuracy in counting. Changes in bacterial numbers are calculated by various methods that focus on microbial mass.
Aerobic plate count, also known as standard plate count, aerobic mesophilic count, total plate count, or aerobic colony count, is a method used to detect the bacterial population in a food sample. This method does not provide an assessment of the entire bacterial population and does not show differences between bacterial species in a food product. It only provides an estimate of the number of microorganisms that can grow aerobically (in an oxygenated environment). The aerobic plate count method is used to evaluate hygiene quality, sensory acceptability, and compliance with good manufacturing practices. The results of this test provide information about the quality or processing history of raw materials, food processing and storage conditions, and the processing of the finished product. It is also used to determine shelf life or future sensory changes in a food product. Detectable changes in food quality characteristics due to microbial growth and enzyme production generally occur when aerobic plate count increases to approximately 100 per gram.
Our organization also provides specific microorganism counting services with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.
To get an appointment, to get more detailed information or to request an evaluation, you can ask us to fill in our form and reach you.
