Tag Archives: yeast

Tech Tip: Hydrating 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates

Posted by Marketing Dept.  –  Food Safety, Laboratory & QA/QC
January 13, 2016

 

Source: 3M

Source: 3M

When preparing 3M™ Petrifilm™ for use in your environmental monitoring program there are different hydration methods to follow, depending on the test and the context in which it is used.

For air or direct contact procedures where Aerobic Count, Coliform Count, E.coli/Coliform Count, Rapid Coliform Count or Enterobacteriaceae Count Petrifilm™ are being used, hydrate plates with 1 mL of appropriate sterile diluent. Allow hydrated plates to remain closed for a minimum of 1 hour before use.  If using Staph Express Count Petrifilm™, hydrate plates with 1 mL of appropriate sterile diluent. Refrigerate hydrated plates for a minimum of 3 days before using.

For air testing using either Yeast and Mold Count or Rapid S. aureus Count Petrifilm™, hydrate plates with 1 mL of appropriate sterile diluent. Allow hydrated plates to remain closed for a minimum of 1 hour before use.

For direct contact methods only using Yeast and Mold Count Petrifilm™, hydrate plates with 1 mL of sterile letheen broth only. Place letheen inoculated plates into sealed bag and incubate at 30-37°C (86-99°F) for 24 hours. After incubation, store sealed bag of plates in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours to allow gel to solidify. Plates hydrated with letheen will have a mottled appearance.

If you prefer using the new Rapid Aerobic Count Petrifilm™ the hydration times are slightly longer for air or contact surface monitoring. Air sampling has a 24-hour minimum hydration period refrigerated. After hydration plates can be stored up to 7 days. Contact sampling has a 3-day minimum hydration period refrigerated. These plates may also be stored for 7 days after hydration.

Refer to relevant package insert for details and listing of appropriate diluents.

For storage purposes, place all hydrated Petrifilm™ in sealed pouch or plastic bag. Protect plates from light and refrigerate at 2-8°C (36-46°F). Hydrated Petrifilm™ Aerobic Count plates may be refrigerated up to 14 days, all other hydrated Petrifilm™ plates may be refrigerated up to 7 days.

To see the variety of Petrifilm™ available, see our website.

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At Yeast We Can Mold the Future

Posted by Amanda Sasse  –  Bakery, Cheese & Dairy Products, Dairy Farm, Food Safety, Laboratory & QA/QC, Wine & Beverage
March 26, 2014

The food industry surely sees its share of yeast and mold concerns.   Both are relentless aggressors in food deterioration and spoilage that: “can invade and grow on virtually any type of food at any time; they invade crops such as grains, nuts, beans, and fruits in fields before harvesting and during storage. They also grow on processed foods and food mixturespetrifilm.”

Not only can the presence of yeast and mold compromise your product but they sometimes also make people sick.

So, how do we control unwanted yeast and mold when it comes to our food supply?   Obviously, industry innovations targeted at inhibiting yeast and mold growth have done a great deal for quality assurance and producers’ bottom lines.

Yet, peace of mind might be much more difficult to come by than a piece of moldy food in your operation.   Even with such preventative measures in place, yeast and mold still cause issues and are wont to show up anywhere at any time.  This provides a great deal of frustration to food producers, as their equipment, the facility, and the foods produced are all susceptible.  Consumers, naturally, can grow weary when yeast and mold compromise their latest purchase at the supermarket.

Thankfully, the industry continues to research methods to minimize the waste and possible ill health effects generated by yeast and mold issues.   For example, 3M recently introduced a new line of defense in this battle against yeast and mold: 3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates.

Instead of waiting on traditional agar methods, which may take up to five days to incubate, the new Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates provide results in 48-hours, allowing for more oversight of incoming ingredients and finished products leaving food facilities.  You can check out 3M’s Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates in 50-count boxes here or 500-count cases here.

Nelson-Jameson is continuously searching out new methods and products, like the 3M Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates, to ensure food safety and integrity.  Keep checking back here for more updates on food safety and quality issues, including a host of innovative solutions that target food quality and safety concerns.

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