FOOD
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
Read articles about food microbiology from Microbiologics’ experts and other field experts.
The Two Sides of Comprehensive Food Safety QC
Food recalls demonstrate the importance of performing quality control during food testing and environmental monitoring in testing laboratories and manufacturing sites. Although QC is common during food testing, some laboratories...
The Speed and Confidence of GFP Controls
Operating within a narrow window of time for identifying pathogens, food safety microbiologists have the added uncertainty of cross-contamination from control strains, a common cause of false positives. The USDA Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG) and the FDA...
8 Aerobic Plate Count Best Practices
Several factors can influence the accuracy of aerobic plate counts used to estimate the number of microorganisms in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and household products. Below are a few best practices we recommend for achieving consistent and accurate counts. 1. ...
9 Gram Staining Best Practices
Gram staining is an important procedure all microbiologists should master. A laboratorian performs a Gram stain for many reasons - from screening the quality of a sputum sample to rapid presumptive diagnosis of an illness like bacterial meningitis. How to Perform a...
Tips for Choosing and Using Microorganisms for Education
In 2016, two biologists from Indiana University estimated that there are about a trillion species of bacteria on earth.1 With so many choices, how can a teacher select the best strains for her microbiology class? Below are a few tips for choosing and using...
Dear Stanley: Investigating False Positive Results
Dear Stanley, Lately, our lab has been experiencing PCR results that don’t fit with what is expected. We will see occasional positive results in a negative sample. I think the issue could be related to contamination in the lab, but I’m not sure. Do you have any tips...
Microbiology’s Wild West: Cannabis Lab Leaders Talk Testing Methods and Regulations
Cannabis has become a widely accepted form of medicine for patients across the United States. These patients, many of whom are immunocompromised, rely on testing laboratories to ensure the safety of the products they use. The lack of consistent and clear regulations...
7 Streak Plate Method Best Practices
Microbiologists use the streak plate method every day to isolate colonies. Streaking may seem like Microbiology 101, but bad habits can lead to errors and contamination. Follow these best practices to get your streaking technique down to a science. 1. Label first,...
Clinical Case File Results: Enteric Pathogen
Last week, we asked you to determine which common food-borne pathogen, Escherichia coli or Salmonella spp., was causing the enteric infection described in our latest Clinical Case File. The results are in, and we’re proud to share we have some very savvy readers. Of...
Clinical Case File: Enteric Pathogen
Source: CDC PHIL and NIAID The case of an ambiguous food-borne pathogen causing an enteric infection is the first in our new series of clinical case files. Read the case study below and then use your microbiology expertise to determine which pathogen is causing the...
