Microbial Growth Testing
Microbiological contamination refers to the unintended introduction of microorganisms or microbes, such as bacteria, yeast, mold, fungi, and/or their by-products, into a given environment, solution, or product.
Microbiological contamination refers to the unintended introduction of microorganisms or microbes, such as bacteria, yeast, mold, fungi, and/or their by-products, into a given environment, solution, or product.
Considerations and Limitations of Microbial Growth Testing | |
|---|---|
Maintain a clean work environment | Any tools, reactants, and work environments that pose a risk to contaminating samples within the microbial growth test should be cleaned and monitored prior to use. |
Quality of reactants | High quality reactants should always be used. High-quality water free of microbial contamination, endotoxins, proteases, and nucleases is essential in receiving accurate results. |
Preparation of testing facilities and tools | |
|---|---|
Agar and Media | Any agar or media plates should be stored at 2-8°C in a clean, dark place prior to use. This will minimize risk of contamination and growth. |
Biological Safety Cabinets | Before a Biological Safety Cabinet is used, it must be wiped down with bleach/EtOH or Isopropanol, and UV light should be left on for at least an hour with clean air circulation. |
Incubators | Any incubators used for microbial growth should be clean and can be sanitized by spraying/wiping with ethanol or isopropanol. |