- The Easy Plate Kikkoman pre-poured media plate was born as a modern microbiology solution, simplifying microbiological testing in food and drinking water while still ensuring reliability to international standards.
1. What is the Easy Plate Kikkoman plate?
The Easy Plate Kikkoman plate is a line of pre-poured media plates developed by Kikkoman (Japan), designed to rapidly quantify microorganisms by directly spotting the sample onto the plate surface.
Unlike traditional agar plates that need medium preparation, autoclaving and pouring, Easy Plate:
- Already has the medium prepared
- Only requires pipetting the sample → incubating → reading the result
- Does not require complex equipment
- 👉 This is why Easy Plate plates are widely used in food testing, drinking water testing and quality control in factories.
2. Why is Easy Plate suitable for food & drinking water testing?
🔹 The demand for microbiological testing keeps rising
Microbiological parameters such as:
- Total aerobic microorganism count (TPC)
- Coliform / E. coli
- Yeast & mold
are mandatory parameters in testing:
- Processed foods
- Bottled drinking water
- Water used in production
Companies therefore need a fast microbiological testing method that can be implemented directly at the factory.
🔹 What problem does Easy Plate solve?
- Reduces handling time
- Reduces the risk of cross-contamination
- Clear, easy-to-read results
- Suitable even for small laboratories
3. Easy Plate Kikkoman applications in food testing
3.1. Total count testing
Easy Plate AC Total Count is widely used to:
- Assess the hygiene level of raw materials
- Control the production process
- Monitor product shelf life
👉 Colonies grow clearly, are evenly dispersed, and are easy to count by eye or with a supporting device.
3.2. Detecting Coliform and E. coli in food
Coliform and E. coli are indicators of fecal contamination, usually strictly controlled in:
- Ready-to-eat foods
- Milk and dairy products
- Low-heat processed foods
Easy Plate Coliform / Easy Plate EC:
- Uses a distinctive color-change mechanism
- Colonies are easy to distinguish
- Reduces errors when reading results
👉 Suitable for the food factory QC/QA team that needs fast results to make decisions.
3.3. Yeast – mold testing in food
Yeasts and molds directly affect:
- Shelf life
- The taste and color of the product
- The risk of toxin production
Easy Plate YM-R helps:
- Detect spoilage risks early
- Control the quality of confectionery, beverages and processed fruit and vegetables
3.4. Staphylococcus aureus testing in food
Easy Plate SA is specifically designed to quantify Staphylococcus aureus, with:
- A highly selective medium
- Distinctively colored colonies
- Easy to distinguish from other microorganisms
👉 It helps the QC department:
- Quickly detect the risk of S. aureus contamination
- Assess staff hygiene conditions
- Effectively control CCPs in HACCP
3.5. Enterobacteriaceae testing in food
Easy Plate EB allows:
- Rapid quantification of Enterobacteriaceae
- Early detection of errors in production hygiene
- Tracking microbiological contamination trends over time
Key advantages:
- Colonies grow clearly
- Stable, easy-to-read results
- Suitable for periodic testing at factories
👉 Easy Plate EB is often used in:
- Food or seafood processing factories
- Meat, seafood production
- Milk and dairy products
3.6. Coliform testing in food
Easy Plate CC (Coliform Count) is a pre-poured media plate developed by Kikkoman specifically to:
- Quantify Coliform
- Quickly check hygiene levels
- Support quality control in production
Benefits of using Easy Plate CC for Coliform control:
- No need to prepare medium or pour agar
- Less handling time and lower risk of cross-contamination
- Suitable for periodic testing
- Easy to train new staff
Practical applications of Easy Plate CC
Easy Plate CC is commonly used in:
- Food testing (processed foods, ready-to-eat foods, milk and dairy products)
- Testing bottled drinking water
- Controlling water used in production
- Assessing the cleaning effectiveness of equipment and workshops
👉 Especially suitable for the factory QC/QA department, where fast results are needed to make timely decisions.
4. Easy Plate Kikkoman applications in drinking water testing
4.1. Testing bottled drinking water
Drinking water is a product category with strict microbiological requirements, especially for:
- Coliform
- E. coli
- Total microorganism count
Easy Plate helps
- Culture water samples directly
- Without complex media handling
- Suitable for periodic testing
4.2. Controlling water used in production
In addition to finished water, companies also need to control:
- Equipment washing water
- Water used in processing
- Workshop cleaning water
Easy Plate allows rapid on-site testing, helping to detect microbiological contamination risks early.
5. Key advantages of Easy Plate Kikkoman in practice
✅ Saves time & labor
- No medium preparation
- No autoclaving
- Cuts 30–50% of handling time
✅ Reduces the risk of cross-contamination
- Single-use plates
- Fewer open–close operations
✅ Easy to train – easy to standardize
- New staff can still perform the procedure correctly
- Consistent results between tests
✅ Suits many laboratory models
- Small & medium factories
- In-plant QC rooms
- Internal laboratories
6. Easy Plate Kikkoman – the ideal microbiology solution for modern companies
With the trend of optimizing costs – improving quality control effectiveness, Easy Plate Kikkoman is becoming the preferred choice of many companies in:
- Food
- Drinking water
- Beverages
- Industrial kitchens
It is not only a pre-poured media plate; Easy Plate is also a comprehensive microbiology solution, helping companies to:
- Proactively control risks
- Meet HACCP, ISO, GMP
- Enhance product reputation in the market
Easy Plate Kikkoman offers a simple but effective approach to microbiological testing in food and drinking water. With its fast – accurate – convenient advantages, this product is particularly suitable for companies that need strict quality control while still optimizing resources.
If you are looking for a fast, easy-to-implement and reliable microbiological testing solution, Easy Plate Kikkoman is a choice you cannot overlook.