Patent ID: 11884960
Assignee: TERRAGENE SA
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC C  A  G | IPC C  G

Claim 8:
9. A biological indicator for determining the efficacy of a steam or heat sterilization process, wherein said biological indicator comprises, in a single container,
microbial spores,
at least one protein exogenous to the microbial spores selected from the group consisting of fibrin, elastin, casein, collagen, actin, keratin, and albumin,
a fluorophore, and
a culture medium, comprising a colorimetric component,
wherein the fluorophore is capable of interacting with the at least one protein exogenous to the microbial spores, said interaction yielding an immediate optically detectable signal, and
wherein after the steam or heat sterilization process the culture medium contacts the microbial spores and produces an optically detectable color shift in the presence of microbial growth, wherein the at least one protein exogenous to the microbial spores/fluorophore ratio is between 2:1 and 8:1.