Detection system for microbial contamination in health-care products
First Claim
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1. A product, comprising:
- a liquid health care product positioned within product packaging for containing said liquid health care product; and
means for sensing the presence of microbial contaminants selected from the group consisting of C. albicans, P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa within said liquid health care product and providing a visible indication of microbial contamination of the packaged product, said means for sensing being positioned inside said product packaging for containing said liquid health care product, said means for sensing responding to enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants and metabolic processes involving enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants.
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Abstract
An in-situ microbial contaminant detection system provides a chemical reagent within a liquid health care product or in close association with product packaging containing the health care product. The chemical reagent interacts with a variety of microbial contaminants or byproducts, such as enzymes and acids, of the microbial contaminants that are commonly found in health care products (e.g., P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa) and provides a visible indication of microbial contamination that can readily be discerned by a consumer. A color change is preferred.
75 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A product, comprising:
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a liquid health care product positioned within product packaging for containing said liquid health care product; and means for sensing the presence of microbial contaminants selected from the group consisting of C. albicans, P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa within said liquid health care product and providing a visible indication of microbial contamination of the packaged product, said means for sensing being positioned inside said product packaging for containing said liquid health care product, said means for sensing responding to enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants and metabolic processes involving enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A product, comprising:
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a liquid health care product positioned within product packaging for containing said liquid health care product; and means for sensing the presence of microbial contaminants selected from the group consisting of C. albicans, P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa within said liquid health care product wherein said means for sensing comprises a semi-permeable membrane filled with a chemical reagent which provides a visible indication of microbial contamination of the packaged-product, said semi-permeable membrane being positioned within said liquid health-care product inside said product packaging, said means for sensing responding to enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants and metabolic processes involving enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A product, comprising:
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a liquid health care product positioned within product packaging for containing said liquid health care product; and means for sensing the presence of microbial contaminants selected from the group consisting of C. albicans, P. cepacia, S. marcescens, E. cloacae, E. gergoviae, E. aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa within said liquid health care product wherein said means for sensing comprises a chemical reagent which provides a visible indication of microbial contamination of the packaged product and a means for immobilizing said chemical reagent on an inside surface of said packaging containing said health care product, said means for sensing responding to enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants and metabolic processes involving enzymes produced by said microbial contaminants. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification