1. Conventional methods for bacterial identification and enumeration

Conventional bacterial detection methods based on bacterial growth and enumeration form the basis of official protocols used by professionals and in research laboratories.

Protocols based on bacterial culture are sensitive and selective, but their analysis time is long and costly. Several steps are required: after sample homogenization, bacteria are revived and multiplied in the enrichment step, then the bacteria of interest are selected on selective agar media. Complementary biochemical tests can then be applied to precisely identify and validate the bacterial species. The process requires specific media for enrichment, isolation and identification of each microorganism of interest. Several culture media of defined composition, a large number of Petri dishes, supports, plastic materials, an atmosphere with the right oxygen content and optimized incubation temperatures...