Use of conductance methods to predict bacterial counts in fish.

Conductance methods to measure bacterial growth are more rapid than conventional methods for assessing the load of spoilage bacteria in fish. With the correct choice of medium, an estimate of the count can be obtained within 24 h which shows a very good correlation with the conventional methods. Moreover, the conductance changes correlate better with counts of those organisms thought to be responsible for spoilage. The Malthus conductance instrument provides an automated system capable of the simultaneous monitoring of 128 different samples, resulting in considerable savings of time and effort over traditional plate counting techniques.