The medium in the pouches is already gamma-irradiated to avoid the need for autoclaving.
The irradiation dosage added to media does not impede microorganism growth; its performance is similar to non-irradiated, autoclaved culture media, said Merck Millipore.
Pre-weighed pouches can be used for Salmonella or Listeria and reduce typical sample preparation time by more than 50% by eliminating media preparation steps, claims the firm.
Simplifies workflow
Dr Andreas Bubert, head of global marketing food and beverage segments at Merck Millipore, told FoodQualityNews.com that it simplifies the entire workflow in the lab.
“There is no need to weigh the media or autoclave the medium before use, both of which lead to significant time savings.
“The product meets the increasing demand for convenience, especially for customers with higher testing demands, where additional handling steps hurt.”
Overall sample prep time including preparing media, weighing food samples, adding media to food samples, and homogenization takes about 15 minutes, said Bubert.
Readybag pouches eliminate the need for autoclaving, weighing media and handling supplements but prior to incubation sterile water must be added.
Merck Millipore added that it offers a water purification system called ELIX Advantage.
Preparation peril
"Culture media is a critical part of any microbiological testing workflow, but preparation is time-consuming and open to human error," said Sabine Mueller, head of product management dehydrated culture media and rapid testing applications.
"By eliminating media preparation, the Readybag pouches reduce complexity and the risk of contamination, increasing consumer safety and allowing final products to reach the market sooner."
Pouches have a shelf life of three years compared to three months for self-prepared media.
It comes in a soluble granulated format, which unlike powdered media compacts fine particles into small, uniform granules.
This reduces dust generation, dispersion and the risk of inhalation of hazardous or toxic substances, said the firm.