食品微生物検査効率化に向けた簡易培地の活用例

抄録

The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) system was fully enforced for all food business operators in July 2021 as a response to the globalization of food distribution. Additionally, considerations on food microbiological testing have significantly changed. During the self-inspection process of food companies, there is an increasing demand for a shift from the conventional method of collecting one sample of the final product and then using the official method to a quick and direct method that is useful for managing the manufacturing process. With the development of science, a method has been developed for differentiating the colonies with a color- developing enzyme-substrate medium targeting an enzyme produced by bacteria. A ready-to-use simple medium, that can overcome the drawbacks of agar media that must be prepared in-house, has been developed and is extensively used during the inspection of many food companies. The simple media require validation by an international validation agency. Simple media are effectively used in cases such as the processing of multiple samples under the same conditions, responding to urgent test requests, and reducing the time required for tests to prioritize the original quality control work.