A MICROTITRE TRAY PROCEDURE FOR A SIMPLIFIED IDENTIFICATION OF BACILLUS SPP IN SPOILED CANNED FOODS

Bacillus species are often responsible for spoilage of canned foods be cause of their heat-resistant spores. A simplified identification sche me of Bacillus spp. using five morphological characteristics and 27 ph ysiological and biochemical properties was elaborated. The incorporati on of the tests into the wells of a microtitre tray facilitates the ap plication in the canning industry. Using the simplified identification scheme, 115 strains of bacilli isolated from spoiled canned foods as well as seven reference strains could be identified. There was good co rrelation between the standard procedure and the microtitre tray metho d for all strains tested. Most of the isolated strains belonged to the species Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus brevis. ( C) 1996 Academic Press Limited.