Milk and dairy · Total count
Milk Plate Count Agar – total and psychrotrophic counts in milk
Milk Plate Count Agar is a plate count medium with skim milk for the colony count of micro-organisms in milk and dairy products, including the count of psychrotrophic bacteria at 6.5 °C according to ISO 6730.
- Contains skim milk
- Total count of milk and dairy products
- Psychrotrophs at 6.5 °C, 10 days
How Milk Plate Count Agar works
The medium is a plate count agar with skim milk, which provides milk proteins and improves the growth of bacteria adapted to milk. Colonies are counted after incubation at the temperature required by the method.
Typical colony appearance
| Organism | Colonies |
| Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica (6.5 °C) | Colourless colonies |
Technical data
| Preparation | 24.5 g/L; heat to dissolve, autoclave 121 °C 15 min, pour plates |
| Final pH | 7.0 ± 0.2 |
| Incubation | 6.5 °C, 10 days (psychrotrophic count) |
| Storage | Dry, dark place; keep the container tightly closed |
| Shelf life | 3 years |
Applications and practical notes
The total viable count is the basic hygiene indicator for food, feed, water and surfaces, determined for example according to ISO 4833-1. Typical applications include:
- Raw materials and finished food products
- Milk and dairy products
- Drinking and purified water
- Hygiene monitoring and shelf-life studies
Working with Milk Plate Count Agar: Pour the plates with medium cooled to 44–47 °C and, for psychrotrophs, keep the incubator at 6.5 °C for the full 10 days.
Good practice with dehydrated media: keep the bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place, weigh the powder quickly to avoid moisture uptake, and use fresh distilled or deionised water. Check the pH of each new batch after preparation and before use, and label prepared media with the date. Performance of each lot can be verified with reference strains according to ISO 11133, the standard for the preparation, production, storage and performance testing of culture media.
About total viable count methods: the total count of micro-organisms in food and feed is made by the pour plate technique on Plate Count Agar at 30 °C according to ISO 4833-1. Milk and dairy products are tested on milk plate count agar, and psychrotrophic bacteria at 6.5 °C for 10 days according to ISO 6730. Purified and pharmaceutical water is tested on low-nutrient R2A Agar. Each lot of medium is checked with reference strains according to ISO 11133. COLO.Science offers media and count plates for these methods.
Complete sets from one supplier: COLO.Science supplies culture media, supplements, rapid tests, identification kits and QC strains as complete sets for the method you follow. Send us your sample types and standards, and we will prepare an offer with the matching products and documentation.
Milk Plate Count Agar is supplied by COLO.Science in the pack sizes listed under Ordering information. For larger quantities, regular deliveries or method-specific sets that include Milk Plate Count Agar, please send us a request. With every delivery of Milk Plate Count Agar you receive the lot number and expiry date, and on request we send the available documentation for Milk Plate Count Agar.
Where Milk Plate Count Agar fits in total viable count testing
- Food and feed – Plate Count Agar, pour plate at 30 °C
- Milk and dairy products – Milk Plate Count Agar; psychrotrophs at 6.5 °C
- Water – R2A Agar for purified water, Tryptone Glucose Extract Agar
- Fast results – aerobic count plates
See all total count products in the Microbiology Catalogue →
Ordering information
| Product | COLO code | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Milk Plate Count Agar | PRO7569 | 500 g |
Product notice: preparation, storage conditions and shelf life are given on the label. Technical data on this page are for orientation; the label and the lot documentation apply. B2B prices are quoted net, excluding VAT.
Sales and technical support
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Quotations and technical support for culture media and microbiology products across our international sales territory. B2B prices are net, excluding VAT.
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Need the complete set for your method?
Send the sample type, target organism and the standard you follow. COLO.Science will put together the media, supplements, QC strains and confirmation tests for the whole procedure.
