The Application of the Principle of Eijkman's Fermentation Test for Determining theColiTitre of Water

Abstract

At present thecolititre of water is almost universally determined by fermentation tests in sugar-containing media; the fermentation method of Eijkman (glucose-peptone solution at 46°2) and that of Bulir (neutral-red mannite bouillon at 46°) are current in many European countries, while in America fermentation in lactose bouillon at 37° is the standard test. Fermentation tests at 37° in lactose-containing media with the addition of bile and bactericidal dyes are also widely used (Great Britain, America).

Rapid Methods for the Determination of Faecal Contamination in Oysters

“…Perhaps the most important attempt to devise a single test for differentiating faecal coliforms was Eijkman's use of the fermentation (production of acid and gas) of glucose a t 46". Several workers have found that the ability to ferment lactose in bile salt broth a t 44" is a reasonably specific test for E. coli (Perry & Hajna, 1935;Minkevich, Alexandsov & Sobikeva, 1936 ;Clegg & Sherwood, 1939 ;Batty-Smith, 1942;Sherwood & Clegg, 1942).…”

“…Clegg (1941) attributes this to a 'heat shock' effect on bacteria which are acclimatized to somewhat lower temperatures prior to final incubation a t 44". Attempts have been made to warm the tubes prior to final incubation a t 44" and Minkevich, Alexandsov & Sobikeva (1936) pre-incubated tubes for 4 h at 37" before incubation at 44". However, the results of such a pre-incubation regime have not been compared systematically with the 'conventional' subculture method which, with some modfication (Anon, 1970) is generally considered to be the most reliable in spite of the time required to confirm the result.…”

Comparison of Modified Eijkman Medium and Standard Lactose Broth in the Examination of Oysters, Clams, and Shellfish-Growing Waters

“…coli. Minkevich et al (4) decided that 460 C. is the maximum temperature at whlich Bact. coli will grow, and that it invatriably grows at this temperature if massive inoculations are made; that it frequently fails to grow if the inoculations are not massive, but if the temperature is reduced to 430 to 43.50 C. even single-cell inoculations will demonstrate their presence.…”