Recently, it was hypothesized that the absence of colonies on the
agar media is not the absolute criterion to assess the vitality of
microorganisms. We used colony plate count since manufactures
currently perform their own checks of microbial populations in their
food supplements by using this method. In addition, we coupled
genetic identification, phenotypic quantification and genetic identity
in a polyphasic approach, and this could contribute in minimizing the
risk of undervaluing enumerations of some microorganisms.