Patent ID: 9404141
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: C12Q,G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a target microbe in a test sample, said method comprising the steps of: providing a test mixture that includes organic micro particles in a form that promotes the formation of a microbial biofilm, operative amounts of essential vitamins and elements needed to support growth of the target microbe, and a metabolizable substrate in the test mixture and which can be metabolized by the target microbe to the extent needed to support continued reproductive growth thereof, and which cannot be metabolized by other viable microbes in the test sample, whereupon a sensible characteristic of the sample is altered when the substrate is metabolized; providing a test sample obtained from a biological, environmental, or food source, and combining the test sample in unprocessed form with the test mixture to form an admixture; wherein the micro particles are in a relative amount within the test mixture that is effective to accelerate the formation of microbial biofilms within the admixture of the test sample and the test mixture; and detecting the presence or absence of target microbes in the sample based on the presence or absence of the detectable characteristic.