Environmental sampling articles and methods

• US 10,018,534 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neogen Food Safety US Holdco Corporation (Neogen Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Zook, Cynthia D., Silbernagel, Robert H., Horter, Barbara L., Lubrant, Henry J., Koeritzer, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Humphrey, Louise
• Assistant Examiner(s): Srivastava, Kailash C
• Application Number:
  US14/476,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 435 34, 435 30, 435243, 4352536, 43525521, 4352557, 4352568, 4352877, 4352879, 4353051, 435 39, 435 4
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/06 Plates; Walls; Drawers; Multilayer plates
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/36 of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/04 Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor C12Q1/6897 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/24 Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/02 Devices for withdrawing samples sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising

Abstract

The present invention refers to articles for collecting samples from a surface, articles for microbiological analyses of said samples, and methods of use of said articles. The articles include sample collectors, sample housings with optional barrier layers, and sample-ready reagent strips comprising hydrophilic agents to grow and detect microorganisms. The disclosure includes methods to collect, detect, and quantify microorganisms in a surface sample.

Claims

1. A kit for sampling and enumerating microorganisms, the kit comprising:

a sample housing comprising

a bottom member comprising a self-supporting water impervious substrate with upper and lower major surfaces;

a cover sheet comprising a substrate with upper and lower major surfaces wherein at least part of one major surface of the cover sheet comprises a coating of a cold water soluble powder including at least one gelling agent; and

a water-impermeable barrier layer attached to the bottom member or the cover sheet, wherein the barrier layer is positioned between the cover sheet and the bottom member;

wherein the cover sheet is attached to the bottom member and wherein the powder faces the upper major surface of the bottom member.

2. The kit according to claim 1, further comprising a sample collector with upper and lower major surfaces substantially free of hydrophilic agents, wherein at least one major surface of the sample collector is water-impervious, wherein at least one major surface of the sample collector comprises a porous material.

3. The kit according to claim 1, further including a reagent strip comprising a self-supporting substrate with upper and lower major surfaces wherein at least part of one major surface of the reagent strip comprises a coating of a cold water soluble gelling agent and a hydrophilic agent selected from the group consisting of a nutrient for growing microorganisms, a selective agent, an indicator, and combinations of any two or more of the foregoing.

4. The kit according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the barrier layer is detachably attached to the sample housing.

5. The kit according to claim 1, wherein at least one major surface of the sample collector further comprises a porous material.

6. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the sample housing further comprises a spacer containing an aperture wherein the spacer is adhered to the upper surface of the bottom member.

7. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the sample collector further comprises a tab.

8. The kit according to claim 7, wherein the tab is detachable.