A direct plate count method for detecting E. coli in frozen food by detecting indole in colonies

A medium giving maximum indole production colonies of Escherichia coli has been defined and includes diethylaminoethylcellulose which restricts the spread of indole through the agar medium. A reagent based on p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde has been developed to give optimum indication of indole production. A simple method which will identify E. coli in cultures obtained from selective media is described and an extension, including a resuscitation stage, devised for rapid and direct quantitation of E. coli from frozen foods.