Direct Epifluorescent Filter Technique (DEFT)

- fluorescent dye: acridine orange, stains DNA and mRNA - fluorescent microscope - food homogenate pre-filtered through 10um pore size nylon filter, then through nucleopore polycarbonate filter (0.22/0.45 um pore size) - filter stained, dried, and counted - can detect live and dead cells with LIVE/DEAD BacLight Viability Assay