Nowadays, living healthy is one of the growing trends. As an increasing number of people are becoming conscious of the kind of food they eat, they look into food processing or whether the food is organic or not.
A microbiology test is a process that helps to identify the causes of bacterial growth in microorganisms found in food. Many establishments in the food industry are performing this procedure to prevent putting human health at risk.
Business owners must ensure food and water safety if they are in the food business industry. A microbiology test is the best way to maintain the safety standard of food in your business.
The medical field, pharmaceutical, food, and agriculture industries use this kind of procedure to check the food products. It is a common procedure to ensure safety standards in food processing.
Importance Of Microbiology Test
As time goes by, the demand of consumers to have fresh and good quality products is increasing. That is why there is also an advancement of procedures in the safety of food and its processes.
Besides, there are various food-borne diseases in different countries worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to have a microbiology test in the food industry to ensure consumers’ safety.
Healthcare. It is the top industry that relies on microbiology tests because they take care of people who have diseases and illnesses. Regular testing should be conducted to avoid the spread of any bacteria, infection, or germs.
Food industry. It is essential to check the safety of the food that people are going to eat. Food testing is conducted to track any form of harmful bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and many more. That is why many businesses in the food industry should follow safety standards and protocols.
Pharmaceuticals. The development and testing of medicines in the pharmaceutical industry also require microbiology tests because they work on their bodies’ medication intake. It is essential to ensure that the medication they produce is free from any germs, microbes, and other bacteria.
3 Microbiology Test Methods
These standard methods of testing are used to verify and identify microorganisms active in food or medications. These help many businesses in the food industry because they will have insights into the proper testing.
1. Immunoassay
Immunoassay is a type of microbiology test that measures the concentration of macromolecules in a solution using immunoglobulin or antibody. It makes use of analytes like urine or serum to conduct the test. The most common commercially advertised type of Immunoassay is a pregnancy test.
These test results are both applicable for qualitative and quantitative, but the qualitative type is the most common. So the result is either detected or not detected. The duration is about 24 to 48 hours to get the result of the test.
2. Culture Media
This traditional microbiology test uses culturing or growing to identify the microbes present in food. The culture medium has different nutrients to improve the growth of microbes. This test is recommended for fresh food and ready-to-eat food. The only disadvantage of using this test is it is not suitable for all groups of food.
It uses different culturing techniques, and the detection and identification methods use liquid and solid culture media. The use of microscopes to determine the kind of microorganisms present.
Aside from detecting what kind of microbes are present, it also tells the number of microbes present in the medium. It is also applicable to qualitative and quantitative results. The results are available after 12 hours to one week.
3. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Polymerase Chain Reaction is one of the most advanced microbiology tests today because it is used in biological and medical research. It can identify pieces of RNA and DNA and can produce billions of copies of a DNA sequence. Both quantitative and qualitative results are possible, but it is often qualitative.
The test methods are usually rapid or sensitive, especially when partnered with a cultural pre-enrichment. Besides, it uses the PCR technique to reproduce sections of DNA or RNA. The test results are readily available within 24 to 48 hours. However, the PCR test now uses test tubes, so the test result is available after a few hours.
Testing is a vital way of providing safety to everyone who uses your product or visits your facility. It is part of the safety measures that need to be followed to prevent any danger or future frustration.
If you are hesitant to perform a test for your business, you should think twice because many consequences are waiting for you by neglecting this kind of test.
Moreover, it is essential to know how to maintain the cleanliness of properties because it is safer and more comfortable to have a clean and neat business environment.
