Detection of Spoilage Organisms in Food

Granulated and Ready-to-Use Media

For traditional microbiological testing of food samples and for the presence of spoilage microorganisms, Merck maintains an extensive range of dehydrated and ready-to-use culture media. Food spoilage can be recognized by damage in texture, flavor and/or nutritional value. Spoiled food can be very harmful for people and should therefore not be consumed. Often, the growth of spoilage organisms results in the loss of whole batches of food.

Food spoilage can be caused by yeasts, molds and bacteria.

Two types of yeasts can lead to spoilage. True yeast metabolizes sugar producing alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. This process is known as fermentation. False yeast occurs as dry film on the surface of foods with high sugar or acid content. Molds on foods are visible as mold growth formed by filaments. The spores of molds float through the air to find suitable conditions to grow again. Eating food contaminated with molds can lead to illness such as nausea.

Yeast and molds can be found on high acid foods such as fruits and pickles, while bacteria prefer low acid foods such as meat and vegetables. Different types of spore-forming or nonspore-forming bacteria can cause spoilage. Eating food spoiled by bacteria can cause to food poisoning.

Merck offers a number of dehydrated and ready-to-use culture media for the enrichment, isolation, enumeration and general detection of yeasts, molds and food spoiling bacteria. The dehydrated media are manufactured as easy soluble granules to minimize dust development upon use.

Spoilage Detection for Food

All Products