Evaluation of the MicroFoss system for enumeration of total viable count, Escherichia coli and coliforms in ground beef

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the MicroFoss system (Biosys, Ann Arbor, MI) for enumeration of total viable organisms, Escherichia coli and coliforms in ground beef. The system performance was compared to that of the USDA Bacteriological Analytical Method (BAM) reference culture methods. The correlation coefficients for the regression lines comparing the MicroFoss system detection times to the results of plate count methods for the total viable counts, coliform counts and the most probable number (MPN) method for E. coli were -0.95, -0.96 and -0.97, respectively. Tests comparing the reproducibility of data generated independently by two technicians on the same batch of samples showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in the MicroFoss detection times and culture results. The plate count methods for the total viable counts and coliform counts, and the MPN method for E. coli required 10, 11 and 22 times, respectively, the amount of time to complete tests compared to the length of time required to perform these tests using the MicroFoss system. The MicroFoss system produced reproducible data and provided a rapid and cost-efficient alternative method for enumeration of TVC, coliforms and E. coli in ground beef.