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. 1973 Apr;25(4):499–503. doi: 10.1128/am.25.4.499-503.1973

Enumeration of Escherichia coli in Frozen Samples After Recovery from Injury1

B Ray a, M L Speck a
PMCID: PMC380850  PMID: 4572981

Abstract

More than 90% of the surviving cells of Escherichia coli NCSM were injured after freezing in water at -78 C. Injury was determined by the ability of cells to form colonies on Trypticase soy agar with yeast extract but not on violet red-bile agar and deoxycholate-lactose agar. Exposure of the injured cells to Brilliant Green-bile broth and lauryl sulfate broth prevented subsequent colony formation on Trypticase soy agar with yeast extract. The freeze-injury could be repaired rapidly in a medium such as Trypticase soy broth with yeast extract (TSYB). The repaired cells formed colonies on violet red-bile agar and deoxycholate-lactose agar and were not inhibited by Brilliant Green-bile broth and lauryl sulfate broth. At least 90% of the cells repaired in TSYB within 30 min at 20 to 45 C and began multiplication within 2 h at 25 C. When the cells were frozen in different foods, 60 to 90% of the survivors were injured. Repair of the injured cells occurred in foods during 1 h at 25 C, but generally repair was greater and more reproducible when the foods were incubated in TSYB. The study indicated that the repair of freeze-injured coliform bacteria should be accomplished before such cells are exposed to selective media for their enumeration.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Moss C. W., Speck M. L. Release of biologically active peptides from Escherichia coli at subzero temperatures. J Bacteriol. 1966 Mar;91(3):1105–1111. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.3.1105-1111.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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