• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.178-184
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• 1996

Dryfilm method by using 3M Petrifilm$^{TM}$ has been examined to replace conventional agar method for isolation of microorganisms from foods. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate suitability of dryfilm method as a microbial isolation method and to determine the effect of antimicrobial agent on dryfilm for isolation of microorganisms from foods. Five different foods, milk, ground beef, fishery surimi, Takju and wheat flour were used to isolate the natural microflora in foods and the inoculated Escheri chia coli. Standard method agar (SMA, Difco) and Petrifilm$^{TM}$ aerobic count (PAC, 3M) were used to isolate total microorganisms from foods. Violet red bile agar (VRBA), brilliant green lactose bile (BGLB) broth and Petrifilm$^{TM}$ coliform count (PCC, 3M) were used to isolate coliforms from foods. E. coli broth (EC broth) and Petrifilm$^{TM}$ E. coli count (PEC, 3M) were used to isolate E. coli from foods. Acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) and Petrifilm$^{TM}$ yeast & mold count (PYMC, 3M) were used to isolate yeasts and molds from foods. Total aerobic plate counts isolated from five different foods by SMA and PAC (3M) were riot significantly different each other at P<0.05 level and were highly correlated each other ($\geq$0.96). Mugwort extract as an antimicrobial agent did not affect microbial enumeratiion of Dryfilm. Significantly higher number of coliform colonies were formed on VRBA than PCC (3M) from ground beef, but they were not significantly different in coliform colonies from milk samples. PCC (3M) and BGLB were not significantly different for enumeration of coliforms in milk and beef samples. Significantly higher number of E. coli were isolated by EC broth than PEC from ground beef, but these were not significontly different for enumeration of E. coli from milk. Yeast and mold counts isolated from Takju and wheat flour by APDA and PYMC (3M) were not significantly different at P<0.05 level. These data indicate that dryfilm method by using 3M Petrifilm$^{TM}$ can be successively used as an alternative to conventional agar method for enumeration of microorganisms in various foods.