What Is Colony Counting? Breaking Things Down

At its core, the idea behind colony counting is exactly what it sounds like. In microbiology terminology, a colony-forming unit (otherwise known as a CFU for short) is a precise unit used to estimate the number of bacteria or fungal cells contained within any particular sample. It's important to note that this method is used to keep track of viable CFUs, which itself is defined as one that still has the ability to multiply via a technique like binary fission under strictly controlled conditions.

Generally speaking, colony counting requires first culturing the microbes present as a way to make sure you're counting only those viable cells. Microscopic examination is a totally different subject, as that counts all cells whether they're living or dead.

The purpose of colony counting is ultimately to estimate the number of cells present based on their given ability to continue to grow and expand under certain conditions like temperature and the state of the nutrient medium. In theory, under the right circumstances, even a single viable cell can eventually turn into a full-fledged colony through extensive replication.

The Importance of Colony Counting

One of the major reasons that colony counting is so important is because microorganisms are very difficult to count directly. This is attributed almost exclusively to their size — they're simply too small to calculate with any type of reasonable accuracy. Because of that, counting CFUs is the next best thing. Once you arrive at an accurate plate count, you not only have a better idea of how many microorganisms are present — you also know how many COULD be present in the future.

Colony counting is a technique used in different industries, including food and beverage organizations. The presence of bacteria or other microorganisms is strictly controlled by the FDA, so knowing your colony counts helps make sure you're releasing products that ultimately won't harm anybody. This also helps make sure that your company is staying up to date on any compliance rules or regulations that you need to follow.

There are a number of important applications present in a more medical-based environment, too. Knowing more about the concentration of microorganisms in the blood can help better inform professionals about what might be going on with a patient's health. If you know the concentration of bacteria in someone's blood, you can also track the progress of an infectious disease or even the effectiveness of their own immune system.

Types of Products

When it comes to actually purchasing an electronic colony counter , there is a wide range of tools available to better meet your needs. One of those is this Colony Counter from Lab-Aids, a solution that is every bit as easy to use as it is accurate. You'd be hard-pressed to find a digital colony counter price that is more reasonable than this one, despite the fact that it also offers an intuitive design with a built-in illuminating system. This tool permits rapid and accurate counting of colonies and microorganisms by way of a translucent plastic viewing screen that instantly offers up standard Wolffhuegel rulings. It's also built to accommodate Petri dishes that are sized at up to 125 mm in diameter.

Another option that you might choose to explore takes the form of this Colony Counter Pen — a combination marker and digital counter that is designed for both lab and plant environments. Every time a black mark is made using the impressive felt-tipped pen, the tool automatically emits a beep and the LCD displays the colony count. It's a perfect opportunity to do everything from counting cell growth on Petri dishes, tally samples, inventory parts and more. Constructed from durable ABS plastic, it provides audio and visual counts up to 99,999 and weighs just one ounce.

Learn About Weber Scientific

Whether you're looking for Quebec Colony Counters or other bacteriological testing supplies for your lab or other professional environment, Weber Scientific has worked hard over the years to earn the reputation as your trusted source for all of your scientific needs and more. Not only do we have a large number of automatic colony counter tools and other solutions, but our robust inventory also includes other options for air sampling, microbiology proficiency testing, rapid test methods and more. Every item we offer is designed to put the most complete, accurate and actionable information at your fingertips — which is ultimately the most important goal of all.