with a coverslip and observe right away before the yogurt dries out. Two of the main bacterial types
used in making yogurt are Streptococcus thermophilus (chains of spheres) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (rod-
shaped). The bacteria are barely visible using the 40X objective, and most of what you will see on the
slide are clumps of casein (milk protein). Starting with the lowest power objective, focus on the casein
clumps, then switch to the next highest power objective, and refocus. When you get to 400X total
magnification, look for an open space between two thick areas of casein, and look for the tiny bacteria
streaming through this space. You might notice the bacteria vibrating a bit as well. It may help to
decrease your microscope illumination slightly to see these cells.
Fig: 1