title: Detection and quantification of microorganisms in a heterogeneous foodstuff by image analysis.
abstract: A relatively inexpensive image analysis system has been developed to semi-automate the detection and quantification of microbial growth in sections of food. A system based on an IBM PC compatible, with a frame store card, was programmed to scan Gram-stained sections using a motorized stage. Each field of view was thresholded after subtraction of a background image and the area between two thresholds measured. In the food studied it was found that, by using a size limit, it was possible to reduce the number of fields that needed to be examined by a microscopist to approximately 3% of those scanned. Visual examination was still required to distinguish bacterial cells from other stained objects which occasionally occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, AFRC Institute of Food Research, Norwich Laboratory, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jackman
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Gunard
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005516:Food Microbiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012985:Software Design