New Merck Millipore product facilitates food pathogen testing

Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has launched Readybag® pouches with dehydrated culture media for pathogen testing in food. The pre-weighed, gamma-irradiated pouches, which can be used for either Salmonella or Listeria, eliminate all media preparation steps and reduce typical sample preparation time by more than 50 percent.

The pouches eliminate the need for autoclaving, weighing media and handling supplements. The only step required prior to incubation is addition of sterile water, thus reducing sample preparation time and streamlining workflow. The irradiation dosage added to the media does not impede microorganism growth; its performance is similar to non-irradiated, autoclaved culture media. In addition, the Readybag® Half Fraser Broth for Listeria incorporates culture supplements into its media, eliminating the time and expense associated with preparation and sterile filtration.

Readybag® pouches have a shelf life of three years compared to three months for self-prepared media, reducing costs and waste associated with media storage. In addition, the enrichment media come in a soluble granulated format, which unlike powdered media compacts fine particles into small, uniform granules, thus reducing dust generation, dispersion and the risk of inhalation of hazardous or toxic substances. The media is also ISO 11133 compliant.