Total plate count

How it is used

Also called aerobic plate count (APC) or total viable count (TVC). Results are given in colony-forming units per gram or milliliter (cfu/g, cfu/ml), often as logs. A high count does not mean pathogens are present, but it points to poor raw material, hygiene or temperature control.

Example sentences

1. The total plate count of the raw milk was 50,000 cfu/ml, well under our limit.

2. A rising total plate count on the slicer swabs told us the cleaning was not working.

Common collocations

• aerobic plate count
• total viable count
• colony-forming units
• cfu per gram
• plate count agar

Related terms

• bacteriaSingle-celled microorganisms that multiply quickly in suitable conditions; some cause food poisoning or spoilage, while others are used to make foods like yogurt and cheese.
• microorganismA living organism too small to see without a microscope, such as a bacterium, yeast or mold; some spoil food, some cause disease and some are useful.
• samplingTaking a small, representative part of a batch or lot for testing, so that the result can be used to judge the whole quantity.
• hygieneThe conditions and practices, such as cleaning, handwashing and protective clothing, that prevent food from being contaminated by people, equipment or the environment.
• specificationA document that sets out the agreed requirements for a raw material, packaging or product, such as composition, chemical and microbiological limits, appearance and packing.

More terms: Food Microbiology

• pathogen
• spoilage
• mold
• yeast
• foodborne illness
• Salmonella
• Listeria
• Clostridium botulinum