Rapid microbe detection
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/134686
Publication date: Sept. 11, 2015
Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Co.
According to these inventors, there is a need for improved microbe detection to simplify and speed up safety testing, allowing manufacturers to release products sooner. This, in turn, would reduce storage costs without sacrificing product quality and integrity.
This disclosure relates to a device and method for culturing and detecting microorganisms in a sample. In particular, the rapid detection of aerobic and aero-tolerant bacteria in a dry, reconstitutable culture device is described.
The approach comprises a plurality of indicator agents disposed at high concentrations in an adhesive film composition. Indicator agents are incorporated for detecting alkyl esterase, phosphatase and various glycosidase enzyme activities, as well as a redox indicator. These specific indicator agents at given concentrations and means for providing them to the microorganisms permit the detection and enumeration of the aerobic and/or aerotolerant bacteria in ~ 48 hr or less.
