Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2009
Of the various factors influencing the volume transferred by the loop in the automated plate loop technique for enumerating bacteria in milk, the speed of the loop as it emerged from the milk sample was the most important. Increasing this speed from 3 to 6 cm/s resulted in a 23% increase in volume transferred by a standard loop of internal diam. 1·45 mm. The depth of dip was also important, but changes in temperature of the sample from 5 to 20 °C caused no significant change in volume transferred. The results indicate that if the transfer of 1 µl milk is required at speeds commonly used in the automated plate loop technique, the internal diam. of the loop should be reduced from the present standard 1·45 to 1·3 mm.