GOST 10444.12-2013 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 10444.12-2013 — "Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs. Methods for the detection and colony count of yeasts and moulds". The standard specifies laboratory methods for isolation, identification and quantitative colony counting of yeasts and moulds in foodstuffs and animal feeds, including preparation of dilution fluids, recommended selective and non‑selective media (for example DRBC and variations with antibiotics or surfactants), incubation conditions and criteria for colony enumeration and reporting.

Abstract

This standard sets out validated cultural methods used in routine food and feed microbiology laboratories to detect and enumerate yeasts and moulds. It covers sample preparation, choice and preparation of media (including media with dichloran, rose bengal and chloramphenicol), procedures to reduce spore clumping, incubation temperatures and times, colony counting rules, and performance checks for media and reagents. The methods are intended to support product safety assessments, shelf‑life studies and regulatory compliance testing.

General information

• Status: Active / in force (noted as current in most catalogs; reported as superseded in part in specific references for some milk/milk‑product provisions).
• Publication date: Designation year 2013; registration and related dates reported November 2013 — implementation/official introduction dates reported between late 2014 and 1 July 2015 depending on source.
• Publisher: Issued as a Russian interstate (GOST) standard; commercial distributors list Interstandard/standards catalogues as providers of the published text.
• ICS / categories: 07.100.30 — Microbiology; Food microbiology.
• Edition / version: Edition identified by the year 2013 (GOST 10444.12-2013); replaces GOST 10444.12-88.
• Number of pages: Catalog listings report approximately 13–14 pages in the published text (vendor listings vary between 13 and 14 pages).

Scope

The standard applies to microbiological testing of food products and animal feeding stuffs for detection and enumeration of yeasts and moulds. It is intended for routine laboratory use and for regulatory and quality control testing where colony counts of yeasts and moulds are required. The document does not cover molecular or non‑cultural detection methods; it focuses on cultural/enumeration techniques and media performance checks.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and general principles for detection and colony counting of yeasts and moulds.
• Requirements for sample preparation and dilutions, including anti‑clumping agents and dilution fluids.
• Descriptions and formulations for recommended media (e.g., DRBC — dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar) and optional antibiotic supplements to suppress bacterial overgrowth.
• Incubation conditions (temperature and time) and colony enumeration rules (countable range, colony morphology assessment).
• Procedures for verifying working characteristics of media and reagents and quality control of culture media.
• Notes on specific adaptations for high‑background matrices (e.g., raw meat, spices, dairy products) and recommendations where additional antimicrobial agents may be used.

Typical use and users

Routine microbiology laboratories in food industry quality control, feed producers, public health and regulatory laboratories, research laboratories working on food safety and shelf‑life, and third‑party testing laboratories use this standard to perform cultural enumeration of yeasts and moulds and to harmonize methods for compliance testing and internal QC.

Related standards

GOST 10444.12-2013 cross‑references and is used alongside related GOST and ISO documents such as GOST ISO 7218-2011 (general requirements for microbiological examinations), GOST 10444.1 (preparation of reagents and media), and other laboratory equipment and sampling standards. It replaces GOST 10444.12-88 and has intersections with later standards addressing specific products (for example, certain provisions for milk and dairy products are addressed in GOST 33566-2015).

Keywords

yeasts, moulds, fungi, enumeration, colony count, food microbiology, animal feed, DRBC agar, culture methods, media formulation, sample preparation, GOST 10444.12-2013.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 10444.12-2013 is a Russian interstate (GOST) standard that specifies cultural methods for detection and quantitative colony counting of yeasts and moulds in foodstuffs and animal feeds.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample preparation and dilutions, recommended media formulations (for example DRBC and variations), incubation conditions, colony counting rules, and media quality‑control procedures for routine enumeration of yeasts and moulds. It does not prescribe molecular or rapid non‑cultural methods.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Food and feed industry QC laboratories, public health and regulatory testing laboratories, contract testing labs and research labs concerned with fungal counts in products.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard is generally listed as active/current in standards catalogs, but some sources note it is superseded in part for specific provisions (for example certain dairy product testing may be covered by subsequent documents). Users should check the latest national/regulatory lists for any product‑specific replacements or amendments.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it belongs to the GOST 10444 series covering microbiological methods for food and feed; it cross‑references general microbiology standards (for example GOST ISO 7218) and other GOSTs on media, sampling and laboratory equipment.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Yeasts; moulds; fungi; colony count; DRBC; culture media; food microbiology; feed microbiology; enumeration; GOST.