Enumeration of Total Yeasts and Molds in Foods by the SimPlate® Yeast and Mold–Color Indicator Method and Conventional Culture Methods: Collaborative Study

Abstract

The relative effectiveness of the SimPlate Yeast and Mold-Color Indicator method (Y&M–CI) was compared to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) method and the proposed International Organization for Standardization (ISO) method, ISO/CD 21527, for enumerating yeasts and molds in foods. Test portions were prepared and incubated according to the conditions stated in both the BAM and ISO methods. Six food types were analyzed: frozen corn dogs, nut meats, frozen fruits, cake mix, cereal, and fresh cheese. Nut meats, frozen fruits, and fresh cheese were naturally contaminated. All other foods were artificially contaminated with either a yeast or mold. Seventeen laboratories throughout North America and Europe participated in the study. Three method comparisons were conducted. In general, there was <0.3 mean log count difference in recovery between the SimPlate method and the 2 corresponding reference methods. Moreover, mean log counts between the 2 reference methods were also very similar. The repeatability (sr) and reproducibility (sR) standard deviations were comparable between the 3 method comparisons. These results indicate that the BAM method and the SimPlate method are equivalent for enumerating yeast and mold populations in foods. Similarly, the SimPlate method is comparable to the proposed ISO method when test portions are prepared and incubated as defined in the proposed ISO method.

Differences in laboratory versus field treatment performance of point-of-use drinking water treatment methods: research gaps and ways forward

“…Enumerators would be trained for the express purpose of conducting microbiological challenge tests, proficient in water quality testing methods including aseptic technique. They would use established field water quality testing methods to process influent and effluent water samples resulting from the field challenge test, such as field membrane filtration to enumerate E. coli 64,65 , and SimPlate method for Yeast and Mold Color Indicator (Y&M-CI) for the detection and quantification of yeast 68 , which has been validated for use against conventional agar plating methods 69,70 and is appropriate for low-resource field contexts due to the pre-packaged sterile materials it uses, as well as the lack of requirement for reagent refrigeration 68 .…”

COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL PLATING AND SIMPLATE METHODS FOR ENUMERATION OF AEROBIC MICROORGANISMS, COLIFORM AND ESCHERICHIA COLI IN FARM ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

“…The plates were incubated at 35C for 24 h prior to counting coliforms (purple-red colonies) and E. coli (fluorescent colonies under long-wave UV light). Enumeration of coliforms and E. coli using the SimPlate CEc-CI method with multiple test medium (BioControl System) was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions and procedures of Feldsine et al (2005). The total number of positive wells for coliforms was counted on the basis of color change.…”

“…Several studies have indicated that the SimPlate CEc-CI method is comparable to other methods, and is a suitable alternative for detection and enumeration of total coliforms and E. coli in foods Russel 2000;Lee and Lewis 2003). The SimPlate CEc-CI method has recently been approved by the Research Institute of the AOAC, Method 2005.3 (Feldsine et al 2005). Nevertheless, information on the efficacy of the SimPlate methods for use in environmental farm samples is limited.…”

Assessment of hygienic and nutritive quality of retailed minced meat in Egypt

“…Generally, harmful effects as spoilage of meat, reduced shelf-life of meat and public health hazard, as infection or intoxication, are the main sequalae of microbially contaminated meat (Eley, 1992;Park et al, 2015). Similarly, fungi occur in meat and meat products could cause various degrees of spoilage and/or render the affected meat hazardous by the production of mycotoxins (Feldsine et al, 2003;Ismail et al, 1995).…”