IAFP's European symposium

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IAFP'S EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD SAFETY 2023

Shaping the future of food safety since 2005, bringing together hundreds of food safety professionals from across Europe and around the workd to exchange ideas and gain knowledge about the latest in developments and techniques in food science and safety. The 2023 Symposium includes a vast array of diverse topics and speakers for those working in industry, government and academia. 

Poster Session

Performance Evaluation of Ready-to-Use Culture Media, Easy Plate AC for Enumeration of Aerobic Plate Count in a Broad Range of Foods, Environmental Samples and Pet Foods

Abstract
Introduction: The Ready-to-use (RTU) media Easy Plate AC (Kikkoman Biochemifa Company) provides many benefits including reduced time-to- result, simplicity of us,e and is more sustainable compared to conventional plate count agar. The speed of analysis of the device gives a saving of 24 h over the reference method with results available in 48 h.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of the RTU device for the enumeration of aerobic count as detailed in the ISO 16140-2 validation protocol.

Methods: The repeatability, accuracy and relative trueness of the RTU device was evaluated during the study across 5 food categories; dairy products, fishery products, produce and fruits, meat and poultry, and multicomponent foods in addition to environmental samples and pet foods. Analysis of the samples was performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and ISO 4833-1 (2013).

Results: Study results revealed good agreement between the RTU device and the reference method in the 105 samples analyzed in the relative trueness study. During the accuracy profile it was demonstrated that all seven categories passed the 0.5 log acceptability limits or the recalculated limits. Additional studies showed that the RTU device prevented the spread of members of the Bacillus spp. seen on Plate Count Agar.

Significance: Data indicates that the RTU device provides equivalent results to the ISO reference method 4833-1 (2013) for a broad range of foods, environmental samples and pet foods. In addition to the reduced time-to-result compared to PCA, the media allows better colony counting with samples containing Bacillus spp.

Performance Evaluation of Ready-to-Use Culture Media, Easy Plate SA for Enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus in a Broad Range of Foods

Abstract

Introduction: Ready to use (RTU) media offers many advantages to the end user including shorter time-to-result and ease of use as well as being more sustainable. Easy Plate SA (Kikkoman Biochemifa Company) reduces the time of enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus to 24 h, a savings of 24 h compared to the standard ISO 6888-1 protocol.

Purpose: To compare the performance of the RTU device and ISO method 6888-1(2021) for the enumeration of S. aureus in a broad range of foods following the ISO 16140-2 validation protocol.

Methods: This study evaluated the specificity, selectivity, repeatability, accuracy and relative trueness of the RTU device as required by ISO 16140-2. During the study, 225 food samples were analyzed across five food categories: dairy products, fishery products, produce and fruits, meat and poultry and multicomponent foods. All samples were tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions and ISO 6888-1.

Results: Results from the study revealed the RTU device gave comparable results to the reference method across the 75 analyzed in the relative trueness with no evidence of bias between the methods. In the accuracy profile study, all five categories tested satisfied the 0.5 log acceptability limit or the recalculated acceptability limits. Data also indicated that the RTU device was selective and specific, inhibiting the growth of nine non-target organisms that grew on the reference agar.

Significance: The RTU device gives equivalent results to the ISO reference method 6888-1(2021) for a broad range of foods. This RTU device is a rapid convenient alternative for the enumeration of S. aureus enabling results in 24h.

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Outline

Product Easy Plate
Event date 2023.05.03

Seminar Detail

Venue Aberdeen, Scotland
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Related seminars

IAFP European Symposium 2025 – Technical Session 9
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IAFP European Symposium 2025 – Technical Session 9

T9: Evaluation of Easy Plate YM-R™ for Enumerating Yeasts and Molds in Both High and Low Water Activity Foods

Introduction

Kikkoman Biochemifa Company will be presenting new validation data for Easy Plate YM-R™, a ready-to-use (RTU) culture medium developed for the rapid enumeration of yeasts and molds. The product enables results in 48 to 72 hours and is suitable for both high and low water activity foods. This presentation will take place as part of Technical Session 9 (T9) at the IAFP European Symposium 2025.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of Easy Plate YM-R™ in alignment with AOAC Performance Tested Methods℠, MicroVal, and NordVal certification requirements, with particular focus on applied statistical methods for method validation.

Study Overview

Methodology:

Easy Plate YM-R™ was compared against ISO 21527-1/2 (2008) and BAM Chapter 18 (2001). Validation was conducted across diverse product categories including:

  • Dairy
  • Fruits and produce
  • Multicomponent foods
  • Bakery items
  • Meat and poultry
  • Dried foods
  • Confectionery
  • Pet foods
  • Environmental swabs

Parameters assessed include:

  • Relative trueness: 135 items using Bland-Altman plots
  • Repeatability and accuracy: β-ETIs and confidence intervals (19 items)
  • Selectivity: 50 inclusivity strains, 30 exclusivity strains Robustness, consistency, and stability: via ANOVA

Key Findings

  • At 48 hours, Easy Plate YM-R™ demonstrated agreement with reference methods in three categories: produce, multicomponent foods, and environmental samples
  • At 72 hours, consistent agreement was achieved across all tested food types, within ±0.5 log or recalculated acceptance limits
  • Selectivity surpassed reference methods, with the medium supporting growth of all tested xerophilic and non-xerophilic inclusivity strains, and inhibiting all exclusivity strains
  • Robustness testing indicated the importance of maintaining correct incubation temperature
  • Consistency and long-term product stability were also confirmed

Conclusion

Easy Plate YM-R™ is a robust and time-saving alternative to traditional yeast and mold testing methods. It offers a simplified workflow, wide applicability across food matrices, and strong statistical validation. The method is especially valuable for manufacturers managing both high and low water activity products.

Presenters

  • Shinichiro Sugiura – Primary Author and Presenter, Kikkoman Biochemifa Company
  • Daiki Utsunomiya – Kikkoman Biochemifa Company
  • Alice Foxall – Campden BRI
  • Suzanne Jordan – Campden BRI

We welcome IAFP EU 2025 attendees to join Technical Session 9 (T9) to learn more about the validation and application of Easy Plate YM-R™ in microbiological testing. For additional information or to request a meeting during the event, please contact us through our [inquiry form] or speak with your local representative.

IAFP European Symposium 2025 – Poster Session P1-69
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IAFP European Symposium 2025 – Poster Session P1-69

Evaluation of Accuracy and Efficiency for Novel Automatic Colony Counting System for Ready-to-Use Culture Media, Easy Plate™

Introduction

Ready-to-use (RTU) culture media improves food safety testing by offering quicker preparation, compact form, easy handling, and clearer visibility of colonies compared to traditional agar media. However, manual colony counting remains labor-intensive and requires trained personnel. To enhance efficiency, an automated colony counting solution is necessary.

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the rapidity and accuracy of a new Colony Counting System (CCS) developed for Easy Plate™ (Kikkoman Biochemifa Company). The CCS uses a general document scanner with an automatic feeder and dedicated analysis software based on object detection through machine learning.

Method

Ten types of food samples were diluted and plated on Easy Plate media for Aerobic Count (AC) and Coliform Count (CC) testing. Three levels of contamination were prepared, and results from the CCS were compared with conventional manual counting in terms of processing time and colony count accuracy.

Results

The CCS processed each sheet in approximately 5.0 to 6.4 seconds, regardless of bacterial load. In contrast, manual counting took between 13.8 and 44.5 seconds per sheet, especially longer at lower contamination levels (10–50 CFU/sheet). The correlation coefficient between the CCS and manual counting was over 0.98 for both AC and CC tests. These findings indicate that the CCS can reduce counting time by approximately 77% without compromising accuracy.

Significance

Combining ready-to-use culture media with an automated counting system provides an efficient, accurate, and cost-saving approach to microbiological testing. This innovation is particularly valuable for high-throughput environments in food safety laboratories.

Presenters

  • Shinichiro Sugiura, Primary Author, Kikkoman Biochemifa Company
  • Kentaro Takenaka, Abstract Presenter, Kikkoman Corporation

Discover the efficiency and accuracy of the prepared media plate EASY PLATE to elevate your food safety
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AAFP 2024 (Arkansas Association for Food Protection) 

Join us for an insightful Lunch & Learn event during our Fall Conference, where you'll discover how to revolutionize your microbiological testing processes with Kikkoman Easy Plate. This game-changing solution is specifically designed for the meat and poultry industry, ensuring reliable results, reducing waste, and boosting operational efficiency.

Presenter

Alissa Shida 
Overseas Hygiene Monitoring Testing Group, Regional Manager, Kikkoman Biochemifa Company

Overview: Kikkoman Easy Plate - Revolutionizing Microbiological Testing

Microbiological testing is crucial for ensuring food safety in the meat and poultry industry. Traditional methods can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. Kikkoman Easy Plate offers a streamlined solution designed to enhance efficiency and maintain the highest standards of safety.

What is Easy Plate?

Save time, labor, and money with Kikkoman Easy Plate. Easy Plate is a convenient, prepared media plates for faster and easier microbiological testing. Using a time-tested and AOAC validated culture media methodology, Easy Plate comes in an easy-to-use, stackable film plate format that saves on space, reduces waste, eliminates preparation time and labor, and streamlines your test procedures.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Easy-to-Use: Ready-to-use plates eliminate the need for media preparation, saving valuable time and labor.
  • Space-Saving: Stackable film plate format reduces storage requirements and frees up lab space.
  • Waste Reduction: Pre-prepared plates minimize waste associated with traditional media preparation.
  • Streamlined Testing: Each Easy Plate is designed for specific target organisms, ensuring targeted and efficient testing.

Specialized Testing Options

Kikkoman Easy Plate offers specialized plates for various target organisms:

Why Choose Kikkoman Easy Plate?

  • Validated Methodology: AOAC validated, ensuring reliable and accurate results.
  • Cost-Effective: Reduces costs associated with media preparation, labor, and waste disposal.
  • Efficiency: Speeds up the testing process, allowing for quicker decision-making and improved food safety management.

Upgrade Your Microbiological Testing Process

Kikkoman Easy Plate is designed to meet the specific needs of the meat and poultry industry, ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost savings. Enhance your microbiological testing today with Kikkoman Easy Plate – where convenience meets reliability.

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