University of South Florida

Dawn M Hunter

Daniel Van Lim

Disclosed is a method and associated device for the rapid identification of viable bacterial contaminants in food products. The method detects viable microbes by using a combined ATP-bioluminescence immunoassay.O157:H7 andwere selected as target organisms in various matrices including ground beef homogenate, apple juice, milk, and phosphate-buffered saline. Specific antibodies were immobilized on the surface of well plates in which the sample matrices were incubated. The plates were washed, and the wells were incubated with BacTiter-Glo reagent in Mueller-Hinton II broth. Bioluminescent output was measured with a luminometer and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated. The LOD was not affected by the presence of non-target cells. A strong linear correlation was observed between the number of cells and luminescent output over 4 orders of magnitude. This method provides a means of simultaneously detecting and identifying viable pathogens in complex matrices.

Detection plate for ATP-bioluminescence immunoassay and method of manufacturing

Disclosed is a method and associated device for the rapid identification of viable bacterial contaminants in food products. The method detects viable microbes by using a combined ATP-bioluminescence immunoassay.O157:H7 andserovar Typhimurium were selected as target organisms in various matrices including ground beef homogenate, apple juice, milk, and phosphate-buffered saline. Specific antibodies were immobilized on the surface of well plates in which the sample matrices were incubated. The plates were washed, and the wells were incubated with BacTiter-Glo reagent in Mueller-Hinton II broth. Bioluminescent output was measured with a luminometer and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated. The LOD was not affected by the presence of non-target cells. A strong linear correlation was observed between the number of cells and luminescent output over 4 orders of magnitude. This method provides a means of simultaneously detecting and identifying viable pathogens in complex matrices.

Growing community of inventors

St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America

Dawn M Hunter