Reading of plates

computation and
reporting of results
Microbiology Unit
Food Analytical Service Laboratory
FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Rules in reporting the results
1. Round by raising the second digit to the next
highest number if the third digit is 6,7,8, and
9, and use zeroes for each successive digits
to the right from the second digit.
156, 210

147, 200

129, 080
160, 000
150, 000


130, 000

Rules in reporting the results
2. Round down if the third digit is 1,2,3 or 4,
and use zeroes for each successive digits o
the right from the second digit.

242, 780

543, 000

194, 240
240, 000
540, 000
190, 000
Rules in reporting the results
3. When the third digit is 5:
round up if the second digit is odd,
round down if the second digit is even.

275, 000

345, 000
985, 000

325, 060

195, 033
280, 000
340, 000
980, 000
320, 000
200, 000
Computation
N = _______C___________
(1 x n
1
) + (0.1 x n
2
) d

Where:
N = number of colonies per g or mL of product
C = sum of all the colonies on all plates counted
n
1
= number of plates in first dilution counted
n
2
= number of plates in second dilution counted
d = dilution from which the first counts where obtained
Reporting
1. Report APC as CFU/ g or mL
2. Report only the first two significant digits.

3. Round off to two significant
digits only at the time of
conversion to APC.

Normal plates :
Count 25-250 colonies
Dilution
Colony Count
Plate 1 Plate 2
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2
225 210
10
-3
30 21
10
-4
1 2
Normal plates : Count 25-250 colonies
CFU / gram =_______C___________
(1 x n
1
) + (0.1 x n
2
) d

= 225 + 210 + 30_____
(1 x 2) + (0.1 x 1) 10
-1


= ______465________
2.1 x 10
-1
= 2214

= 2,200
Plates with no colonies


Report as <10 EAPC*

Report as less than 1 times the lowest dilution used,
Estimated Aerobic Plate Count*.
Plates with more than 250 colonies
<10 colonies
per cm
2

Plates with more
than 250
colonies
Square Count
1 5
2 5
3 7
4 8
5 6
6 7
7 5
8 6
9 4
10 8
11 9
12 5
Total
Average
Total = 75
12
Estimated Colony Count per plate
= AVE colonies/cm
2
x AREA of the plate
= 6 x 65
= 390
Plates with more than 250 colonies
DILUTION COUNT
A B
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2
TNTC TNTC
10
-3
TNTC TNTC
10
-4

390
360
= 390 + 360
2 x 10
4
= 375 x 10
4
= 3,750,000
= 3,800,000 EAPC
Plates with more than 250 colonies
> 10 colonies /
cm
2
Plates with more
than 250
colonies
SQUARE COUNT
1 19
2 15
3 16
4 13
TOTAL
AVERAGE
Estimated Colony Count per plate
= AVE colonies/cm
2
x AREA of the plate
= 16 x 65
=1040
=1000
Plates with more than 250 colonies
DILUTION COUNT
A B
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2
TNTC TNTC
10
-3
TNTC TNTC
10
-4

1000
1100
CFU / g = 1000 +1200
2 x 10
4
= 1100 x 10
4
= 11,000,000 EAPC
Spreaders
Types of Spreaders
1. Chain of colonies not
too distinctly separated.
2. Developed in film of
water between bottom of
plate and agar
3. Developed in film of
water at the edge or
surface of agar.
Spreaders
Report plate as spreaders (SPR) if:
1. Area covered by the spreader, including areas of
represses growth, exceeds 50% of plate area.
2. Area of repressed growth exceeds 25% of plate
area
DILUTION COUNT
A B
10
-1
225 230
10
-2
25
SPR
10
-3
2 1
Spreaders
When it is necessary to count plates with spreader:
Count each of the 3 distinct types of spreaders as one.
If only one chain exists, count as one. Count each source
as one.
Combine the spreader count and colony count
per plate to compute for APC.
Plates with less than 25 colonies
DILUTION COUNT
A B
10
-1
20 19
10
-2
1 2
10
-3
0 0
Report as less than 25 x lowest dilution
used estimated count.
< 250*

* Estimated Aerobic Plate Count
Exercises
DILUTION COUNTS
A B
10
-1
255 245
10
-2
30 26
10
-3
0 1
Exercises

DILUTION COUNTS
A B
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2
TNTC TNTC
10
-3
239 243
10
-4
24 23
10
-5
1 0
EXERCISES

DILUTION COUNTS
A B
10
-0
226 221
10
-1
30 31
10
-2
3 2
10
-3
0 0
Exercises
Square
Plate A

Plate B
Count
1 6 9
2 7 8
3 8 6
4 5 7
5 6 7
6 5 7
7 6 8
8 8 9
9 8 5
10 9 7
11 4 8
12 7 9
Dilution
Count*
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2

TNTC TNTC
10
-3

* Using glass plates
Exercises

DILUTION COUNTS
A B
10
-1
TNTC TNTC
10
-2
TNTC TNTC
10
-3
239 243
10
-4
24 23
10
-5
1 0