FREMGANGSMÅDE TIL ESTIMERING AF OVERLEVENDE ANTAL BAKTERIER OG FREMGANGSMÅDE TIL AT FASTSÆTTE GARANTERET BAKTERIEANTAL

The present invention provides a method for estimating survival cell count, which is able to calculate an accurately estimated result of the survival cell count of a specific strain in a probiotic product with respect to its storage period, and to shorten the time for developing the product, and a method for setting a guaranteed cell count, which is able to readily calculate a guaranteed cell count of a specific strain in a probiotic product within its quality guarantee period. The method for estimating the survival cell count is characterized by estimating the survival cell count n t (CFU/g) of a specific strain contained in a composition after storage, in accordance with the following equation (I). (I) Log 10 n t = Log 10 n 0 - t × EXP{(A T × T + B T )w + (C T × T + D T )}, provided that t stands for the storage period (days) × 1/30, n t stands for the survival cell count (CFU/g) of the strain contained in the composition after the storage period t (day), n 0 stands for the viable cell count (CFU/g) of the strain contained in the composition at the initiation of storage, T stands for the storage temperature (°C), w stands for the water activity value of the composition, A T and C T stand for experimentally determined coefficients specific to the strain, and B T and D T stand for experimentally determined constants specific to the strain.