Clostridia spores are ubiquitous in the farming environment. It has been suggested that sulphite reducing clostridia can potentially be used as a hygiene indicator for dairy plant systems.
The method of testing for Sulphite reducing Clostridial spores involves heating a sample of milk at 80°C for a period of time. The sample is then cooled, mixed with clostridial agar, overlayed and incubated in anaerobic conditions for up to 72 hours.