Evaluation of the Petrifilm rapid coliform count plate method for coliformenumeration from surimi-based imitation crab slurry

The 3M Petrifilm rapid coliform count (RCC) plate method was compared with two conventional methods, namely violet red bile agar (VRBA) and desoxychol ate lactose agar (DLA), for enumerating coliforms. The VRBA plating method is a reference method in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual and the DLA plating method is the method recommended by the Food Sanitation Law of Kore a for enumeration of coliforms, Serratia sp., a coliform that was isolated from frozen surimi, was incubated in surimi-based imitation crab (SBIC) slu rries and enumerated on the Petrifilm RCC, VRBA, and DLA plates. Results fr om the Petrifilm RCC plate were not significantly different from results fr om VRBA or DLA plates at P < 0.05 level. The correlation coefficient for Pe trifilm RCC plates versus the VRBA method and for Petrifilm RCC plates vers us the DLA method were 0.994 and 0.996, respectively. With the Petrifilm RC C plate method, we were able to estimate presumptive coliforms (except Serr atia sp.) after 14 h and to enumerate confirmed coliforms (including Serrat ia sp.) after 24 h.