LAB 1: SAMPLING AND SAMPLE HANDLING

QUESTION
1. One hundred grams of cabbage is blended with 250 ml water blank. Consecutive
dilutions of 1:100 and 1:100 are made. From the last dilution, samples of 1.0 ml and
0.1 ml were plated in duplicate. The plates containing the 0.1 ml sample had colony
counts of 60 and 70 respectively. What is the count per gram of the cabbage?
100 g
100 g+250 ml

1
100

1
100

Dilution factor

Amount plated

= 0.1ml (another 1.0ml dont have colony)

60+ 70
=
2

Average of colony

= 65 colonies
Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated
75
=

100 g
1
1

[0.1]
100 g+250 ml 100 100

= 2.28 107 cfu/g

= 2.3 107 cfu/g
2. One gram of food is blended with 9 ml water blank. Consecutive dilutions of 1:10
and 1:10 are then made. Duplicate one ml portions from the last dilution are then
plated. The plates are incubated, and the colony counts are determined to be 32 and
35. what is the count per gram of the food sample?
1g
1 g+9 ml

Dilution factor

Amount plated

= 1ml
32+35
=
2

Average of colony

Total Count

1
10

1
10

= 33.5 colonies
Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

33.5
1g
1
1

[1]
1 g+9 ml 10 10

= 3.35 104 cfu/g

= 3.4 104 cfu/g
3. Two grams of food are blended with 8 ml water blank. Consecutive dilutions of
1:100, 1:100, and 1:10 are then made. From the last dilution duplicate 0.1 ml
portions are plated, and after incubation it is determined that the plate count
average is 245. What is the count per gram of the food sample?
2g
2 g+8 ml

1
100

1
100

1
10

Dilution factor

Amount plated
Average of colony

= 0.1ml
= 245 colonies

Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated
245
=

2g
1
1
1

[0.1]
2 g+8 ml 100 100 10

= 1.225 109 cfu/g

= 1.2 109 cfu/g

4. Sanitarians investigating a food poisoning outbreak could get only 4 grams of the
suspected food. The sample was blended with 99 ml of water and five 1/10 additional
dilutions were made. Duplicate one-tenth ml of each dilution was surface plated on
Baird-Parker agar. After incubation the plates from the fifth dilution (dont forget
the initial dilution) showed 240 and 242 typical Staphylococcus colonies. Express the
result as the number of staphylococci per gram of food.
4g
4 g+99 ml

Dilution factor

Amount plated

= 1ml
240+ 242
=
2

Average of colony

1
10

1
10

1
1
1

10 10 10

= 241 colonies
2

Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

241
4g
1
1
1
1
1

[1]
4 g+99 ml 10 10 10 10 10

= 6.025 X 10 cfu/g
=6.205 X 10
5. Forty-six grams of a food sample were blended with 54g of water. Two successive
dilutions of 1:100 were made, and 1.0 ml portions of the final dilution were plated.
After incubation, 93 and 99 colonies were counted on the duplicate plates. State the
count in bacteria per gram of sample.
46 g
46 g+54 g

Dilution factor

Amount plated

= 1.0ml
93+99
=
2

Average of colony

1
100

1
100

= 96 colonies
Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

96
46 g
1
1

[1.0]
46 g +54 g 100 100

= 2.087 106 cfu/g

= 2.1 106 cfu/g

6. A sample containing 1.6g pepper and 10 grams of water was heat shocked (heated
at 80C for 10 min) to determine the number of aerobic spore forming bacteria.
After rapidly cooling the sample, one ml was diluted to 100 ml. Another dilution
consisting of 1:100 was made, and 0.1 ml portions were dispensed to two Petri
dishes. Twenty ml of plate count agar was added to each plate and, after incubation,
an average of 117 colonies was reported. What is the count of spores per gram of
pepper?

1.6 g
1.6 g+10 g

Dilution factor

Amount plated
Average of colony

= 0.1ml
= 117 colonies

Total Count

1
100

1
100

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

117
1.6 g
1
1

[0.1]
1.6 g+10 g 100 100

= 8.4825 107 cfu/g

= 8.5 107 cfu/g

7. Fifty-eight ml of whey were mixed with 100 ml of water, and three successive 1:10
dilutions were made. Two sets of duplicate pour plates were made containing 0.1 and
1.0 ml of final dilution. The plates containing 0.1 ml of the sample have 50 and 54
colonies after incubation, while the plates containing 1.0 ml contained 550 colonies
on each. What was the total count of whey sample (bacteria per ml)?
58 g
58 g+100 ml

Dilution factor

Amount plated

= 0.1ml
50+ 54
=
2

Average of colony

1
10

1
10

1
10

= 52 colonies
Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

52
58 g
1
1
1

[0.1]
58 g+100 g 10 10 10

= 1.4165 106 cfu/ml

= 1.4 106 cfu/ml
8. Thirty-two g of a food sample were blended with 68g of water. Two successive
dilutions of 1:10 were made. The technician prepared only one plate and

accidentally added 1.1 ml instead of 1.0 ml to the plate. After incubation, 78 colonies
were counted. State the count in bacteria per gram of sample.
Dilution factor

32 g
68 g+32 g

1
10

1
10

Amount plated
= 1.1ml
Aver
age of colony
= 78 colonies
Total Count

Average number of colonies

= duplicate plates
Dilution factor Amount plated

78
32
1
1

[1.1]
68 g+32 g 10 10

= 22159 cfu/g
= 2.2 104 cfu/g
9. How many grams of cheese must be added to 99 ml water blank to give a one-totwo dilution?
Let grams of cheese = Y
Y
1
=
Y + 99 ml
2
Y = 99g
10. In your own words describe what makes a representative sample.
Representative sample means a subset of statistical population which reflect accurately of
the whole population.