Comparative study between the automated MPN method (TEMPO^® CC) and the standard methods for the enumeration of coliform bacteria in livestock processed foods

To evaluate the performance of a new automated coliform enumeration system (TEMPO^® CC) for the quantitative test of coliform bacteria contaminated in domestic livestock processed foods, a total of 507 samples of livestock foods were tested by the TEMPO^® CC method, the most probable number (MPN) method, and Petrifilm method, respectively. The results of those three methods were compared to each other. Of 507 samples of livestock processed foods used in this study, 217 samples were contaminated artificially with coliform bacteria and the rest (n=290) were contaminated naturally. The results of the TEMPO^® CC method for all samples were equivalent to those obtained from the MPN method, except 8 samples. In addition, 496 (97.8%) out of 507 samples made agreement between the TEMPO^® CC method and the Petrifilm method. The correlation coefficients between TEMPO^® CC and MPN methods as well as between TEMPO^® CC method and Petrifilm method were above 0.9, and the slope and intercept of the linear regression model was different in less than 1 value. In conclusion, there were statistically equivalent levels of performance between the TEMPO^® CC and the reference and alternative methods for the enumeration of coliform bacteria in livestock processed foods in this study.