3M™ Petrifilm® Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Count Plate

Petrifilm® Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Count Plates are ready-to-use culture media designed for rapid and reliable detection and enumeration of lactic acid bacteria responsible for spoilage in products such as sliced meat, seafood, sauces, and prepared foods. Compared to classical MRS agar and anaerobic jar methods, this system is significantly more practical and efficient.

The plate generates its own anaerobic environment through an oxygen absorber reactant and barrier film technology; therefore, external anaerobic jars or CO2 sources are not required. Colonies appear red due to the tetrazolium indicator, and colony morphology can be differentiated by gas bubble patterns produced around heterofermentative species. Results are obtained within 45–51 hours under standard incubation conditions (25–37°C).

Supported by AOAC PTM #041701 and AFNOR VALIDATION 3M 01/19-11/17 (for all foods and environmental samples except yogurt), this product features a selective formulation that targets LAB species such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc while suppressing the growth of other bacteria and fungi. It provides food quality control laboratories with a practical, rapid, and reproducible solution.

Technical Specifications

Applications

• Monitoring LAB contamination in meat and meat products
• Spoilage risk assessment in seafood and sauces
• Shelf-life and quality control in prepared foods
• Surveillance of LAB presence in environmental samples