Comparison of Stomacher and Waring Blendor for homogenizing foods to be examined for Clostridium perfringens.

The Colworth Stomacher Model 400 homogenizer was compared with the Waring Blendor for preparing food homogenates to be examined for Clostridium perfringens. Forty-eight samples representing 6 different food types were inoculated with C. perfringens and examined by the AOAC official first action method for enumeration of C. perfringens in foods. Identical paired specimens of each food type were blended with the 2 devices, and plate counts were made as specified in the official first action method. The effects of frozen storage on plate counts were determined by examining 24 food samples that had been stored for 3 days at -68 degrees C and homogenized both devices. Results of a statistical analysis of the experimental data indicated no significant difference overall (P greater than 0.05) in the plate counts of homogenates prepared with the Waring Blendor or the Stomacher 400, either before or after frozen storage of the food samples. However, the overall plate count average of the 48 samples was slightly higher with the Waring Blendor than with the Stomacher 400 homogenizer.