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Catalase: its effect on microbial enumeration

S E Martin, R S Flowers, Z J Ordal

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

|November 1, 1976

Summary

Adding catalase to growth media enhances the detection of stressed microorganisms by preventing hydrogen peroxide damage. This method improves the enumeration of viable but injured microbial cells, crucial for accurate microbial assessments.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biochemistry
Food Safety

Background:

Selective media are used to enumerate microorganisms, but injured cells may not grow.
Hydrogen peroxide accumulation can inhibit the recovery of stressed microbial cells.
Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium, can be injured by heat treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effect of catalase on the enumeration of stressed microorganisms.
To determine the mechanism by which catalase enhances microbial recovery.
To assess the role of endogenous catalase activity in heat-injured Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Methods:

Addition of catalase enzyme to selective medium plates.
Enumeration of physically or chemically injured microorganisms.
Assessing the impact of hydrogen peroxide accumulation on cell viability.
Comparing heat-injured Staphylococcus aureus with and without catalase treatment.

Main Results:

Catalase addition significantly increased the enumeration of stressed microorganisms.
Catalase prevented hydrogen peroxide accumulation around injured cells, promoting their recovery.
Heat-injured Staphylococcus aureus exhibited reduced endogenous catalase activity.
Heat-inactivated catalase did not improve microbial enumeration, confirming enzyme specificity.

Conclusions:

Catalase is effective in enhancing the recovery and enumeration of stressed microorganisms on selective media.
The protective action of catalase against hydrogen peroxide is critical for improving microbial viability assessments.
Understanding the role of catalase is important for accurate microbial testing, particularly for heat-stressed bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus.

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