Patent · US Expired

Rapid method of detection and enumeration of sulfide-producing bacteria in food products

US6632632B1 · kind B1 · utility

3Cited by
4References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 14, 2001
Grant dateOct 14, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 14, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/968
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A rapid method for detecting spoilage of a food sample, particularly a fish sample, by detecting and enumerating sulfide-producing bacteria (SPB). A growth medium containing iron and sulfur is combined with the food sample forming an incubation mixture which is incubated for a period of time. A plurality of fluorescence measurements are taken during an incubation period of about 4 hours to 17 hours at 30° C. SPB are determined to be present in the sample if the fluorescence measurement initially increases and then decreases to form a fluorescence maximum (peak). The time to detection of the fluorescence peak can be used with a correlation schedule to enumerate the SPB in the food sample. A visual test can also be used to identify color changes in the incubation mixture to provide a semi-quantitative enumeration of SPB effective in about 4 hours to 17 hours at 30° C.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.