AimsThis study aimed to establish the correlation between individual bacterial count (IBC) obtained by flow cytometry and the number of colony forming units (CFU) determined by standard plate count (SPC) in raw milk using two different reference methodologies: the methodology of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) - International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4833, incubation for 72h at 30 degrees C and the methodology of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), incubation for 48h at 35 degrees C. Methods and ResultsFor this, 100 bovine milk samples (80ml) from different farms were collected in a sterile bottle and maintained refrigerated at 4 degrees C and were delivered to the laboratory. In the laboratory, the samples were divided into two vials of 40ml each. Then, half of the vials were forwarded for the SPC analysis, and the other half were analysed using the equipment BactoScan FC. The analyses by flow cytometry and SPC were performed at the same time (maximum deviation of +/- 1h). To transform the data from IBCml(-1) to CFUml(-1) (IDF or AOAC methodology), a standard linear regression equationwas used, as recommended by IDF/ISO-196. The difference between the reference methodologies affects the equationthat transforms IBC into CFU and therefore the accuracy of the results. The results estimated by the equationusing the ISO 4833 methodology were on average 018 log units higher than the results estimated using the equationusing the AOAC methodology. ConclusionsAfter the comparison of the methodologies, it was concluded that there is an impact of the reference methodologies on the conversion of the results from IBC to CFU. Significance and Impact of the StudyDepending on the methodology adopted by each laboratory or country, there may not be equivalence in the results. Hence, the laboratories specialized in milk quality analysis that have changed their methodology for analysis, passing from the MAPA (AOAC) methodology to the IDF standard, need to develop new conversion equations to make their results in CFUml(-1) consistent regardless of the reference methodology.