ASSIGNMENT MICROBIOLOGY

AEROBIC PLATE COUNT

NURFARAH ATIQAH BT ZULKAFLI 02DTM10F2067 NOR AKMALIAH BT MISPAN 02DTM10F2082

INTRODUCTION OF APC

The aerobic plate count (APC) is intended to indicate the level of microorganism in a product. Detailed procedures for determining the APC of foods have been developed by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) (1). The conventional plate count method for examining frozen, chilled, precooked, or prepared foods, outlined below, conforms to AOAC Official Methods of Analysis, sec. 966.23, with one procedural change (966.23C). The suitable colony counting range is 25-250. The automated spiral plate count method for the examination of foods and cosmetics , outlined below, conforms to AOAC Official Methods of Analysis, sec. 977.27. For procedural details of the standard plate count, see ref. 2.Guidelines for calculating and reporting plate counts have been changed to conform with the anticipated changes in the 16th edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Dair.y Products and the International Dairy Federation (IDF) procedures

METHOD OF APC

Level table with ample surface in room that is clean, well-lighted (100 footcandles at working surface) and well-ventilated, and reasonably free of dust and drafts. The microbial density of air in working area, measured in fallout pour plates taken during plating, should not exceed 15 colonies/plate during 15 min exposure. Storage space, free of dust and insects and adequate for protection of equipment and supplies Petri dishes, glass or plastic (at least 15 x 90 mm)

Pipets with pipet aids (no mouth pipetting) or pipettors, 1, 5, and 10 ml, graduated in 0.1 ml units Dilution bottles, 6 oz (160 ml), borosilicate-resistant glass, with rubber stoppers or plastic screw caps Pipet and petri dish containers, adequate for protection Circulating water bath, for tempering agar, thermostatically controlled to 45 1C

Incubator, 35 1C; milk, 32 1C Colony counter, dark-field, Quebec, or equivalent, with suitable light source and grid plate. plate

Tally register Dilution blanks, 90 1 ml Butterfield's phosphate-buffered dilution water (R11); milk, 99 2 ml Plate count agar(standard methods) (M124) Refrigerator, to cool and maintain samples at 0-5C; milk, 0-4.4C Freezer, to maintain frozen samples from -15 to -20C Thermometers (mercury) appropriate range; accuracy checked with a thermometer certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

RESULTS

The aerobic plate counts ranged from 3.0log to 7.6log 0 CFU/g and 2.1log to 9.7log CFU/g on mixed vegetables and green beans, respectively , as seen table 2 and 3.The highest proportion of samples (26.1%) fell in the range between 3log and 4log CFU/g (table 1)
n Aerobic plate counts Aerobic plate counts @ 30C 160 1.2 1.2 1.2 3.1 5.5 9.2 24.5 26.1 24.3 3.7 ND 10^10-<10^9 10^8-<10^9 10^7-<10^8 10^6-<10^7 10^5-<10^6 10^4-<10^5 10^3-<10^4 10^2-<10^3 <10^2

Table 1
Microorganism Number of samples analysed Number of positive samples Incidence (%) Mean (log^10CFU/g) Range (log^10CFU/g)

Aerobic plate count @ 30C

60

60

100.0

5.2

3.0-7.6

Table 2

Microorganism Aerobic plate counts @ 30C

Number of samples analyed Number of positive samples Incidence (%) Mean (log^10CFU/g) Range (log^10CFU/) 100 97 97.0 5.0 2.1-9.7

TABLE 3

DISCUSSION

The result for Aerobic Plate Count in our journal same goes to what Jays.J.M(2005) says in his jurnal: For the result in our journal write that the fresh cut organic vegetable and green beans with his journal almost same and not more different. Number of bacteria that have been reported for a number of different fresh vegetable are summarize in table 1,2 and 3.it maybe noted that APCs of around 6 to 7 log10 cfu/gram are common among the vegetable listed and that coliform number around 5-6 log10 are uncommon The aerobic plate count (APC) measures only that fraction of the bacterial flora that is able to grow to visible colonies under the arbitrary test conditions provided in the time period allowed

It does not measure the total bacterial population in a food sample, but is the best estimate. Altering conditions, such as composition of the agar medium or temperature of incubation, changes the spectrum of organisms that will grow It is necessary to adhere rigidly to the standardized test conditions that have encouraged some to call the APC a "standard plate count. Depending on the circumstances, a high APC may indicate that a food has been grossly mishandled or that it contains a poor quality ingredient. Interpretation depends on knowing what the normal APC is for this food. An abnormal APC indicates that something is out of control.

The microbiologist can frequently suggest that cause, thereby aiding the sanitarian. Some of the problems that investigation of a high APC might reveal include: Failure of sorting, trimming, washing, and destroying operations to remove or destroy bacteria from raw ingredients adequately. Inadequate heat processing. Insanitary equipment, particularly near the end of the process. The food has reached or is approaching the end of its refrigerated shelf-life. The food has been stored at or above room temperature for too long. The food is at least partly decomposed.

REFERENCES

http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/commercial/food_processor/microbio.html http://www.springerlink.com/content/l0p0501k53721474/ http://books.google.com/books?id=C0sO1gNFWLAC&pg=PA126&dq=a erobic+plate+count+in+vegetable+and+green+beans&hl=en&ei=xGqpTqb qCMHnrAeS0uyODA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0 CDYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=aerobic%20plate%20count%20in%20veget able%20and%20green%20beans&f=false

THE ENDS