The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 14, 1994
Filed:
Apr. 14, 1992
Zairani Zakaria, Charlotte, NC (US);
Edwin D Neas, St. Paul, MN (US);
CEM Corporation, Matthews, NC (US);
Abstract
A process for rapidly sterilizing biological media, such as broths and gels used as incubation or growth media to test the presence of microorganisms, such as bacteria, includes applying microwave radiation to such an aqueous biological medium contained in a microwave transmissive pressure retaining container, such as a capped cylinder made of polytetrafluoroethylene, which cap is preferably equipped with ports, by directing the microwave radiation through the container and onto the medium in such amount that the pressure in the container and the temperature of the medium are raised above ambient pressure and temperature, and maintaining such raised pressure and temperature for a time sufficient to sterilize the medium. In a preferred operation the microwave heating at elevated pressure and temperature takes place for about five minutes, the pressure during that time is 30 to 50 psig, the microwave heating of the medium takes place in a radiation confining chamber of a microwave apparatus, a plurality of containers for the biological medium is present in such chamber, the containers are kept in motion by an oscillating turntable, and the pressure in at least one container is monitored and the application of microwave radiation is controlled in response to that pressure. In a broader process aspect the contained material is heated but not necessarily sterilized. Also within the invention is the apparatus utilized in the described process.