Biomerieux has introduced the Tempo YM automated system for measuring quantities of yeast and mould in food.
Yeast and mould can spoil any type of food, affecting organoleptic and commercial quality (taste, smell or visual aspect).
Some types of mould, such as Aspergillus, can also produce toxins that can make people ill.
The agri-food industry routinely enumerates microbial flora, which indicates the microbiological load in the production process, from raw materials to finished products.
These indicators help establish a HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) approach and guarantee the commercial value of food products from the time they leave the factory to their expiry date.
Quality indicators that are routinely measured include: total count, total coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast and moulds.
Lactic acid bacteria is also tested on certain food products.
Tempo can test for all of these.
