The Stomacher—its use for homogenization in food microbiology

Abstract

Summary A new homogenizer, the Stomacher, was compared with other methods of homogenization. Various food samples were homogenized on the Stomacher and also in Ato‐mix blenders (prawns and other cooked foods) by simple mixing (raw meats, powdered egg and milk), or by using a pestle and mortar (cheese). Microbiological examination of various foods indicated that the Stomacher released significantly larger numbers of viable micro‐organisms, calculated on the basis of a colony count, than other methods of homogenization, except from samples of cheese and powdered egg and milk. The advantage of using the Stomacher is that no sterilization or maintenance is required as with Ato‐mix blenders and other equipment.