Peel Plate Microbial Tests

Food and Water Microbiology Made Easy

Designed and developed for sanitation verification, product shelf life monitoring, and to be early warning of pathogen risks, Peel Plate Microbial tests are simplified alternatives to conventional microbiological testing.

Peel Plates use gold-standard method formulation and procedures and are available for targeting a variety of bacterial indicators to supplement most food safety programs. The tests and indicator results can be documented, recorded, and proactively mitigated in your effective food safety and consumer protection programs.

Validated food matrices include dairy products, meat, produce rinses, water, and food environmental monitoring. When using the Peel Plate, you receive the same trusted results without the media prep time and labor. In addition, Peel Plates use an easy to interpret color development to determine bacterial growth. Please refer to specific test interpretation guides for more information on counting colonies. Each single-use microbial test contains prepared media in a shallow dish with an adhesive top cover. To plate a food or water sample, peel up the adhesive to expose the media, pipette into the center of the plate, watch the sample wick and spread into the media. The test gels solidify within 10 seconds (30 seconds for High Volume test). Plates are designed for uniform incubation and air flow and with an air space above growth to allow opening and picking of colonies for additional microbiological procedures and identification.

Peel Plate certifications and acceptances include AOAC, and Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and MicroVal on select plates and food matrices.

Peel Plate AC Test


Peel Plate AC nutrient rich non-selective media encourages the growth of all aerobic, oxygen consuming bacteria. Aerobic counts are used as tools in identifying sanitation issues, potential shelf life issues, and are considered elevated listeria risk indicator in food production environmental monitoring. Peel Plate AC are AOAC-RI validated and PMO approved for a variety of dairy, food and environmental samples. Aerobes appear as red spots with a defined center within 48 hours at 32 or 35ºC; size may vary.

Peel Plate CC Test

Total Coliform Peel Plate CC selective media encourages the growth of coliform bacteria. The presence of coliform is an indicator of unsanitary conditions in raw products. Coliform are killed by effective heat steps in food processing.  Coliform appear as red colonies within 24 hours at 32 or 35°C. Coliforms are closely regulated in dairy and other foods in the US.The Peel Plate Coliform test is listed as a validated test method in the PMO.

Peel Plate EB Test

The Enterobacteriaceae bacteria are a family of gram negative bacteria encompassing coliform, E. coli, Shigella, Salmonella, and Yersinia. These bacteria indicate unsanitary conditions in raw products and are killed by effective heat steps in food processing. EB testing is used as a post-production verification of process and pathogen risk used, for example, to test dry milk powder and infant formula. EB is regulated globally, similar to coliform/E.coliregulation in the US. Incubation 24 to 48 hours at 37 °C produce multiple colored round growth spots that are all recorded as EB. High Volume plates are available

Peel Plate EC Test

Generic E.coli, considered a fecal risk indicator, is a subset of coliform and are differentiated with the Peel Plate EC formulation. Peel Plate EC test is AOAC-RI validated for a number of dairy products, meat rinses, water testing, and environmental sampling. Coliform appear as round red colonies and E. coli as round blue colonies within 24 hours at 35 °C. The sum of red and blue are total coliform.

Peel Plate HET Test

Heterotrophs are aerobic bacteria, typically associated with water and nutrient depleted matrices. Peel Plate HET test’s nutrient depleted media encourages the growth of heterotrophic organisms in water. Incubation at 25 °C produces red growth spots within 5 to 7 days. Heterotrophs are used as indicators to assess biofilm build up and nutrient leaching in water distribution systems of food plants and water municipalities.

Peel Plate YM Test

Peel Plate YM test’s selective media containing antibiotic prevents the growth of bacteria, and encourages the growth of fungi. Fungi organisms are primarily a food spoilage risk but can also produce toxins. Peel Plate YM tests are AOAC-RI validated for a variety of dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, RTE foods, and environmental surfaces. Incubation 3 to 5 days at 25 ºC produce green/blue growth spots. High Volume plates are available.

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Environmental Monitoring

Product Questions?

Contact our customer service team for support and purchase options.

Toll Free: 1.800.343.2170
1.978.687.9200

Benefits

      • Ready-to-use media – self-wicking, no spreader device required
      • 12 month room temperature stability when stored in re-sealable foil zip bag*
      • Buffered media formulation for robust performance with neutralizing buffers – pH adjustments not required for most samples
      • Convenient plate stacking and built-in air space design for improved air circulation and picking colonies
      • Date tracking and analysis available with use of our Peel Plate Colony Counter

    *High Volume tests and certified milk labs require refrigerated storage (0 – 4.5°C)

Regulatory Info

  • Coliform and Aerobic tests voted by the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) for inclusion into Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).