What are the disadvantages of viable cell count?

A significant drawback of the viable plate count method is its assumption that each colony originates from a single cell. In species like Staphylococcus, where cells tend to cluster together, can lead to a substantial underestimation of the actual population. For instance, when these clustered cells form a single colony, the method counts it as just one colony, failing to account for the true number of viable cells present. Another limitation is that viable cell counting methods, like spread plate, can be time-consuming as they require incubation periods for colony formation. A third drawback is that manual viable cell counting is laborious and is prone to error. The rate at which bacteria form visible colonies can vary, and insufficient incubation time may result in missed colonies. Optimal conditions such as temperature and growth medium must be regulated to ensure the development of large, easily countable colonies.