Coliform group of bacteria is a very mixed group. There are many bacteria that fall within this definition. These bacteria are anaerobic conditions, non-spore forming and rod-shaped bacteria. When coliform bacteria are mentioned in food technology, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the leading one. They are not allowed in foodstuffs.

In addition to drinking water and foods, total coliform counts are also made in cosmetic products, detergents and cleaning chemicals. Some laboratories are accredited by local and foreign accreditation institutions and carry out microbiological analysis studies. These laboratories provide reliable and impartial services, and analyzes and reports are accepted all over the world.

It is important that the water used in detergent production is clean and will not cause problems for human health. Microorganisms in water can be grouped as follows:

• Some microorganisms are naturally present in water.
• Some microorganisms pass from soil to water.
• Some microorganisms are mixed with wastes and water. Esherichia coli is one of them.

Total coliforms are indicative of pathogens of several microorganisms within the coliform group. Total coliform analysis is easy to perform and is a global parameter. The results of the analysis show whether the sewage water is mixed into the water.

In order to determine whether water is contaminated by feces, coliform bacteria, which are themselves non-pathogenic, are used as determining organisms.

In the context of microbiological analyzes, several standards taken into consideration in coliform count analyzes performed in laboratories are:

• Water quality - Counting of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria - Part 9308: The most probable number method
• TS 7569 ISO 4832 Microbiology - General rules for coliform bacteria counting - Colony counting technique
• TS 7725 ISO 4831 Microbiology - General rules for coliform bacteria counting - Most probable number technique