Maximum Recovery Diluent (Peptone/ Saline Diluent) An osmotically controlled solution for the preparations of suspensions of food samples and for use as a diluent in dilution techniques for bacterial enumeration. The presence of a low level peptone lessens the physiological shock normally experienced by bacterial cells when they are introduced to a diluent such as Ringers Solution. The level of peptone is such that multiplication of the organisms is not possible in the time in which the sample will be present in the diluent.