Presumptive Test Kit for Coliform Detection

Introduction

Presence of coliforms even in 1 gm. of food makes it unfit for consumption. Normal testing of coliforms take about 72 hours and requires the services of trained skilled manpower besides expensive chemicals. The Laboratory has developed a friendly field test kit that needs to be kept at 30 ± 5°C and screens coliforms in 18 hours. The kit encompasses a screw cap bottle with test media having lactose and Andrede's indicator added to it. A gram of food to be tested is introduced into the bottle which is left over night (18 hours) at 30-35°C. The kit can go in the pocket of the person testing the sample while sleeping, the warmth of the body (30-33°C) provides enough incubation to the sample. At the end of the test, if the media in the bottle turns red with bubbling at the surface, it indicates presence of coliforms.

For further information please contact :

Defence Food Research Laboratory
Ministry of Defence,
Mysore - 570011