Some remarks on the bias of the MPN method.
The estimation of cell number by using the MPN method was studied mathematically for three parallel inoculations from three decimal dilutions. As a result of computation it can be established that these estimations at a range of microbial numbers over 10 are biased. Confidential estimation could be obtained at cell numbers between 0 and 10 accepting only a few combinations of positive and negative test tubes. These are 1 0 0, 2 0 0, 3 0 0, 3 1 0 and 3 2 0.
Reichart
O
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Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Horticulture and Food Industry, Budapest, Hungary.
D015982:Bias; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000592:standards*; D011336:Probability