A Procedure for the Direct Microscopic Count of Bacteria in Non-fat Dry Milk

Bacteria in non-fat dried milk (NDM) were enumerated by a method involving preliminary solubilization of the milk proteins in 0.015 N NaOH followed by centrifuging, washing in the NaOH, and microscopically examining stained smears. The method was used to enumerate bacteria in samples of NDM obtained from government surplus stocks or from local retail sources. Bacterial counts from surplus NDM ranged from 4.64 × 10⁵ to 2.83 × 10⁶/g (the mean and median were, respectively, 6.23 and 2.84 × 10⁶/g). Counts from retail samples ranged from 4.48 × 10⁵ to 2.42 × 10⁷/g (mean and median were 5.57 and 2.85 × 10⁶/g). The predominant bacteria in some samples were paired streptococci; other samples contained rod-shaped bacteria, some with identifiable spores. Comparison of this method with the Levowitz-Weber method indicated that it produced fewer artifacts, was applicable to NDM samples containing a wider range of bacteria, and did not require the use of the potentially carcinogenic tetrachloroethane.