Average Plate Count

Average Plate Count is a method used to estimate the number of bacteria present in a sample, such as food or water. It involves placing a small amount of the sample onto a nutrient-rich agar plate, then incubating it to allow bacteria to grow into visible colonies. By counting these colonies and considering the dilution factor, we calculate the average number of bacteria per unit of the original sample. This measurement helps assess cleanliness, safety, and the level of microbial contamination in various products and environments.