Coliform bacteria are a commonly used
bacterial indicator of sanitary quality of foods and water. They are defined as rod-shaped
Gram-negative non-
spore forming bacteria which can ferment
lactose with the production of acid and gas when incubated at 35-37°C.[SUP]
[1][/SUP] Coliforms can be found in the aquatic environment, in soil and on vegetation; they are universally present in large numbers in the feces of warm-blooded animals. While coliforms are themselves not normally causes of serious illness, they are easy to culture and their presence is used to indicate that other pathogenic organisms of fecal origin may be present. Fecal pathogens include bacteria, viruses, or protozoa and many multicellular parasites.
Typical genera include:[SUP]
[2][/SUP]
Escherichia coli (E. coli), a rod-shaped member of the coliform group, can be distinguished from most other coliforms by its ability to ferment lactose at 44°C in the
fecal coliform test, and by its growth and color reaction on certain types of culture media. When cultured on an EMB (eosin methylene blue) plate, a positive result for
E. coli is metallic green colonies on a dark purple media. Unlike the general coliform group,
E. coli are almost exclusively of fecal origin and their presence is thus an effective confirmation of fecal contamination. Some strains of
E. coli can cause serious illness in humans.[SUP]
[3][/SUP]
