Indicator and Spoilage testing
Unlike traditional agar methods, 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates are ready to use — no preparation required. Each slim pack offers consistent, uniform testing media. Just open it up and get right to work. Free up time and work more efficiently, without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates
Fast and accurate indicator organism testing, without the preparation.
Agar preparation is complex, labour-intensive and slow
Heating, stirring, pouring, waiting … who’s got time for that?
It’s time to ditch the painful agar preparation stage. 3M Petrifilm gives you a wide choice of indicator organism testing plates that are ready to go, right out of the pack. They require less energy and water than traditional methods. And the flat, compact design uses less storage than bulky plates.
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Streamline your testing
3M Petrifilm Plates are designed to save you time, effort and space! These ready to use, alternatives to agar require no preparation and their compact size means they take up less storage and incubator space. Plus, when combined with the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plate Reader Advanced, you can increase capacity with minimum effort with accurate plate counts in just 6 seconds or less.
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Consistency and accuracy
Results you can trust.
3M Petrifilm Plates allow you to standardise your testing and they are easy to use, supporting consistent use between technicians. That means accurate, repeatable results, time after time. And the peace of mind for you. -
Validation
3M Petrifilm Plates have been internationally recognised and validated for their methods and innovation. Third-party validations confirm that the method has been scrutinised to prove that it is reliable, repeatable and has performed equal to or better than the reference method to which it was compared.
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Sustainability
Sustainability is an increasingly important goal for companies all over the world and 3M has solutions that can help companies meet sustainability targets whilst supporting their business goals. A prime example is 3M Petrifilm plates that help customers reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, save energy and consume less water, while helping to streamline, standardise and simplify microbial indicator testing.
See how 3M™ Petrifilm™ could help your business
The long-term financial success of your company is ultimately built on the productivity and efficiency of your processes and employees.
With significant productivity and performance advantages over traditional agar plates, it’s no wonder that 3M Petrifilm Plates have become a standard method in microbial indicator testing for companies all over the world.
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Reduced labour costs
Switching from agar to 3M Petrifilm count plates can reduce labour costs spent on this testing process by an average of 45%, allowing your team to focus their time on other activities.
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Increased technician efficiency
A 3M study conducted with 292 food plants demonstrated an 80% increase in technician productivity (tests per hour) saving companies an average of 3.7 hours per day of technician time.
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Data in up to half the time
With some 3M Petrifilm count plates delivering results in up to half the time of traditional agar methods, plus, with the time saved not having to prepare agar, you can keep your food products moving and avoid unnecessary hold time.
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Less shelf space than agar
Shelf-stable and nearly as thin as paper, 3M Petrifilm count plates take up to 85% less of your valuable counter and storage space.
Discover the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Plate portfolio
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- Get results up to twice as fast as traditional methods.
When you need accurate results as quickly as possible, choose 3M Petrifilm Rapid Plates. - All the advantages of our standard 3M Petrifilm Plates, with a faster time to result.
So when the clock is ticking, you can make the call with confidence. - Learn more about Petrifilm Rapid Plates in our short overview video (1:57).
- Get results up to twice as fast as traditional methods.
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Rapid yeast and mold count in as fast as 60-72 hours.
3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast & Mold Count Plate
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Rapid coliform count in as fast as 14 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Coliform Count Plate
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Rapid aerobic count in as fast as 24 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Aerobic Count Plate
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Rapid E.coli / Coliform count in as fast as 18-24 hours.
3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid E.coli / Coliform Count Plate
Discover the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Standard Plate portfolio
Our range of 3M Petrifilm products is constantly under development to provide the plates you need for the testing your lab does every day.
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Aerobic count in as fast as 48-72 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Aerobic Count Plate
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Entero-bacteriaceae count in 24 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Enterobacteriaceae Count Plate
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E.coli / Coliform count in as fast as 24-48 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ E.coli / Coliform Count Plate
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Yeast and mold count in 3-5 days
3M™ Petrifilm™ Yeast and Mold Count Plate
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Coliform count in 24 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Coliform Count Plate
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Select E.coli count in 24 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Select E.coli Count Plate
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Staph express count in as little as 24-27 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Staph Express Count Plate
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Lactic acid bacteria count in as fast as 48 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate
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Listeria count in as fast as 28 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Environmental Listeria Count Plate
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High-sensitivity Coliform count in 24 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ High-sensitivity Coliform Count Plate
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Heterotrophic count in 48-68 hours
3M™ Petrifilm™ Aqua Heterotrophic Count Plate
Fast and accurate colony counting.
Drive speed and efficiency in your lab. The new 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plate Reader Advanced is designed to advance your lab's productivity and testing capacity. It will enumerate plates in 6 seconds or less, quickly and accurately, with less risk of human error. And smart software automatically calculates counts and manages data for you.
How to use 3M Petrifilm Plates
Ready, fast, easy. Modern food testing in three simple steps.
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1. InoculateEliminate media preparation — plates are ready to inoculate.
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2. IncubateA compact incubator is all you need.
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3. InterpretIndicator dyes facilitate colony counting. Use the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plate Reader Advanced to automate your counting process and work more efficiently.
A more sustainable indicator testing solution
Are you still using agar dishes for microbial indicator testing? If so, you’re missing a big opportunity to not only boost your lab’s productivity and accuracy, but also help meet your company’s sustainability goals. 3M Petrifilm Plates can reduce your environmental impact over using agar plates in four key areas:
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79% less water -
76% less energy use than agar -
66% less waste -
75% less greenhouse gas emissions than agar
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Learn more about the reduction in Primary Energy Demand, Blue Water Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from 3M Petrifilm Plates Compared to Traditional Microbiological Analysis Method.
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Dive into details and read our study on "Reduction in Primary Energy Demand, Blue Water Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from 3M Petrifilm Plates Compared to Traditional Microbiological Analysis Method".
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3M Petrifilm Plates can reduce your environmental impact over using agar plates. Simply click the link below to see how much more eco-friendly you can be with 3M Petrifilm Plates. You might be in for a big surprise!
Validations and Recognitions
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- You need testing you can trust.
3M Petrifilm Plates are created and inspected by a team of 3M scientists and engineers, and are validated by international organizations like AOAC International and AFNOR Certification: -
- AOAC® Official Methods of Analysis℠
- AOAC® Performance Tested Methods℠
- NF VALIDATION by AFNOR Certification
- Numerous regional and local approvals
- See full certifications for Petrifilm Standard plates (PDF 268KB)
- See full certifications for Petrifilm Rapid plates (PDF 377KB)
- You need testing you can trust.
Free training: Learn how to reduce food spoilage
Every day, food processors, retailers and consumers are forced to throw out food due to microbial spoilage. This not only contributes to food waste and costly recalls, but can also damage a company’s brand reputation. Learn about food spoilage in the food and beverage industries with a new educational series by 3M Food Safety and food spoilage expert Dr. Randy Worobo of Cornell University.
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Our expert speaker: Dr. Worobo, Professor of Food Microbiology, Cornell University
Dr. Worobo is a Professor of Food Microbiology at Cornell University. He is responsible for teaching undergraduate and graduate food safety assurance classes, and his research is focused on non-thermal processing alternatives for juice and beverages, microbial spoilage of foods and beverages, pathogen transmission and survival on fruits and vegetables.
Thank You
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Advance your knowledge with the next learning course track covering topics:
- Testing for Food Spoilage (13:52 mins)
- Determining Shelf Life (19:08 mins)
- Controlling Food Spoilage (9:26 mins)
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An essential part of your environmental monitoring program
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3M Petrifilm Plates are a convenient and reliable way to detect environmental microbial contamination. The construction of 3M Petrifilm Plates allows them to be used for direct contact or swab contact monitoring procedures, as well as air sampling procedures.
See procedure details and step-by-step instructions (PDF 1MB)
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Your comprehensive resource for environmental monitoring in the food and beverage industries. For expert advice on building and enhancing your environmental monitoring program, including a chapter about indicator testing, explore our free Environmental Monitoring Handbook.
See how using 3M solutions helped a food manufacturer improve their Environmental Monitoring Program
Effective environmental monitoring programs (EMPs) rely on hygiene monitoring as an integral component. A robust hygiene monitoring program that utilizes both ATP testing and microbiological testing can help food manufacturers meet regulations, assess the effectiveness of their cleaning and sanitation operations, and support food safety and quality.
Read the one-page summary (PDF 118KB) or access the full whitepaper for free below.
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Free Whitepaper: Taking food safety and quality to the next level
Download the 3M whitepaper about the peer-reviewed case study from Cornell University and 3M Food Safety to see how a ready-to-eat (RTE) food manufacturer leveraged 3M Environmental Monitoring Solutions to make a measurable impact in their food safety program. The results showed improvements in the facility’s environmental hygiene and the microbiological quality of food produced. (PDF 2MB)
Find out more about 3M Petrifilm
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Comparative Independent Laboratory Evaluation of the 3M Petrifilm Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate Method for the Enumeration of Lactic Acid Bacteria in a variety of Foods and Environmental Surface. (PDF 313KB)
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Selecting the appropriate method for Aerobic Plate Count (APC) testing can be challenging as there are various testing methods from rapid automated methods to traditional cultural methods. It’s important for a laboratory to understand which method best fits their needs. (PDF 289KB)
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Step by step instructions for liquid samples and viscous or solid samples. (PDF 136KB)
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Many foods require a dilution step before plating. Use this guide when preparing dilutions. (PDF 391KB)
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Learn more about Petrifilm plates in our brochure. (PDF 633KB)
Ready to give 3M Petrifilm Plates a try?
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Talk to a 3M Food Safety expert to discuss how 3M Petrifilm Plates could support your environmental testing and indicator testing process.
The information you provide on this form will be used to respond to your request through email or telephone by a 3M representative or by one of our authorised business partners with whom we might share your personal information consistent with the 3M privacy policy.
This form is intended for professional users of our products.
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Find where to buy 3M Petrifilm Plates
View 3M Petrifilm products in our online product catalogue for 3M ordering information or view all your where to buy options
Support you can count on
Protecting the world’s food supply is a big responsibility — but we’re here to help. We’ve got people to support you locally with technical advice, software support, and exceptional service.
From purchase, through to installation and ongoing support, we’ll help you mitigate risk and improve operations — every batch, every shift, every day.
Choose the right food safety solution for your needs
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Fast and accurate colony counting. Saves counting
time - reader enumerates plates in 6 seconds or less and drive accuracy with reduced risk of human error. -
Accurate and reliable pathogen testing with our
ready-to-use assays, single post-enrichment protocol for all pathogens and same- or next-day results for most matrices. -
Better samples create better results. Standardise your sampling procedure and drive consistency and efficiency.
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3M offers a broad range of products - from separation, filtration & purification products to personal protective equipment, surface & floor cleaning products to durable label and packaging solutions - that support food and beverage manufacturers. Take a look at how 3M can support you. (PDF 6MB)
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Learn more about the science of food safety. Free webinars and resources that help you deepen your expertise and improve food safety and quality in your business – anytime, from anywhere.
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3M Food Safety products are available direct from 3M or from our authorised channel partners. Visit our 'Purchasing information' page to contact a 3M representative, view our online product catalogue or to find a local channel partner.
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We are here to help! Get in touch with our food safety support team for advice about our solutions and how to use them. Contact us!
