The NF-TVC vial is a general screening for total viable count and can be used for specification monitoring or sterility testing in food, nutraceutical and personal care/cosmetic products. The vial has broad inclusivity and an assay time of 22 hours for most applications. As organisms grow in the broth medium, the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced diffuses through a membrane layer into a soft agar plug containing a dye indicator. The color change in the dye is read by the instrument. The membrane layer in the vial servers as a barrier, eliminating product interference with the reading window.

In an AOAC Research Institute Performance Tested Method SM License # 071203 study, the Soleris NF-TVC vial was found to be an effective procedure for semi-quantitative determination of total aerobic count in the following sample types: raw chicken, deli ham, lettuce, almonds, black pepper, cheesecake, ice cream mix, nonfat dry milk and cocoa powder. Test duration is 24 hours, with the exception of cocoa powder, which is 27 hours.