Methylene Blue Reduction Test (MBRT) – Principle, Procedure and Results

Diagram of bacterial oxygen consumption in milk, reduced redox potential and conversion of blue methylene blue to colourless leucomethylene blue.

The Methylene Blue Reduction Test (MBRT) is an indirect microbiological quality assessment method used for testing milk. It is based on the reduction of methylene blue dye due to the metabolic activity of bacteria present in milk. The blue colour disappears when the dye is reduced. Milk containing higher bacterial activity generally takes less time