Bioburden
Bioburden is the population of viable microorganisms on or in a product and/or package.
Purpose is to establish the microbiological contamination present on a product, component, package or raw material prior to sterilisation process.
Methods used include removal of microorganisms by use of eluents and stomaching followed by membrane filtration or by pour plate/spread plate, swabbing, contact plating or Agar overlaying.
Membrane Filtration method allows the total volume of eluents to be examined and therefore gives a more accurate result than any other method. Membrane filtration removes the organism from the eluent and therefore neutralisation of microbiocidal or microbiostatic substances are unnecessary.