A cost-effective carbohydrate fermentation test for yeast using microtitre plate

Carbohydrate fermentation test is a well-established technique for speciation of bacteria and fungi. However, long incubation period, cost and procedural complexity may limit its use. Here, we describe a simple modification of conventional carbohydrate fermentation technique using microtitre plate. Thirty-one yeast isolates were identified based on their fermentation property by microtitre plate method and results were compared with conventional method. The modified method had 85.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The average time taken to produce positive reaction was 24 hours. When compared with conventional method, modified method reduced turn-around time and cost of processing without significant increase in discordant results.