Microbial test works a Charm, finds AOAC

Charm Sciences’ Peel Plate YM (Yeast and Mold) microbial test has received AOAC Research Institute approval.

The Peel Plate YM is based on potato dextrose media and yeast and mold will produce blue/green colonies for visual identification

These spots are quantified over the three to five day incubation and used as spoilage and hygienic indicators by food manufacturers.

Bob Salter, VP of regulatory and industrial affairs, said it is another approval of the test platform of microbial tests introduced last year.

“The Peel Plate methods perform comparably to traditional microbial methods in 14 different food types with 11 different yeast and mold strains which led to their rapid performance verifications by AOAC-RI.”

The product and reference method comparison data will be displayed at the International Food Technologists and International Association of Food Protection meetings this summer.

Peel Plate Aerobic and coliform/E.coli tests were approved in 2015.

Technology behind the test is a dried medium in a shallow 47mm plate that diffuses a liquid sample when added to the plate, and, like conventional plates, allows for morphology discerning and picking of cultured organisms for further identification.