EFFECT OF DILUENTS ON THE RECOVERY OF MICROOGANISMS FROM FOODS

Two aspects of the recovery of bacteria from foods were examined: a comparison of the effects of two diluents, phosphate-buffered dilution water and 0.1% peptone on the recovery of eight bacterial strains and the total counts; and the effect of these diluents on the recovery during a period of 1 hr. No marked superiority of either diluent in terms of initial recoveries or of protection over a 1-hr time period was noted. On the average, however, recovery was as good or better in 0.1% peptone as in phosphate-buffered dilution water; the choice of diluent, therefore, is slightly in favor of 0.1% peptone, which seemed to yield higher recovery on more samples.