IAFP'S EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD SAFETY 2024
Since 2005, IAFP's European Symposium has been shaping the future of food safety by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas with colleagues from across Europe working in industry, government, and academia. The Symposium is an excellent forum to gain knowledge about the latest developments and techniques in food science and safety. The symposium will be held 30 April - 2 May in Geneva, Switzerland.
Evaluation of Easy Plate EB Performance, a Novel Ready-to-Use Culture Medium for Detecting Enterobacteriaceae
Introduction :
Easy Plate is a Ready-to-Use (RTU) medium marketed as Medi-Ca since 2014 and rebranded by Kikkoman Biochemifa Company in 2021. Compared to conventional plate media, RTU medium offers various advantages, including faster time to results, ease of use, and sustainability.
Purpose:
In this study, the performance of a newly developed RTU medium for Enterobacteriaceae, Easy Plate EB (medium A), was evaluated by comparing it with three commercially available Enterobacteriaceae media in Japan: RTU media B and C and VRBG agar medium (VRBG).
Methods:
Both the inclusivity and exclusivity performance of 63 strains including 44 Enterobacteriaceae strains were assessed, and correlation analysis was conducted on 62 food matrices including meat, seafood, vegetables, dairy products, and prepared food. MALDI-TOF MS was used to identify bacterial species detected in samples that exhibited differences in colony count during correlation analysis.
Results:
All Enterobacteriaceae strains tested were positive, three of the non-Enterobacteriaceae strains tested were positive, and the other 16 tested negative. The correlation coefficients between medium A and VRBG, medium B, and medium C were 0.926, 0.988, and 0.963, respectively. The number of colonies that grew on medium A in 10 foods was 10 times higher than on VRBG, so the colonies were isolated, identified, and confirmed as Enterobacteriaceae. The isolated strains were pre-cultured in tryptic soy broth medium, they were tested in each medium and found to grow without significant differences in numbers.
Significance:
This new RTU medium for Enterobacteriaceae was found to have the same selective performance and high correlation with existing RTU media and agar medium. It was demonstrated that the method has the potential to detect bacteria in food more efficiently than VRBG.
Outline
| Product | Easy Plate EB |
|---|---|
| Event date | 2024.04.30 |
Seminar Detail
| Venue | Geneva, Switzerland |
|---|
Related Documents
-
- Easy Plate EB Film medium for Enterobacteriaceae
-
Easy Plate EB is a custom media formulation for cultivation of Enterobacteriaceae. A microbial test kit that contains Violet Red Bile Glucose (VRBG) media and a cold-water-soluble gelling agent that facilitates colony enumeration. The colonies are easily identified in 24±1 hours. Easy Plate EB is sold in packages of 100 tests in 4 separate bags containing 25 tests each. The shelf life is 12 months when stored unopened at 2-8℃.
Related seminars
-
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
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
-
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:
- Aerobic Bacteria (AC)
- Coliforms (CC)
- E. coli/Coliforms (EC)
- Staphylococcus aureus (SA)
- Yeast and Mold (YM-R)
- Enterobacteriaceae (EB)
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.