Patent ID: 8563265
Filing Date: 2013-10-22
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for evaluating microbial contamination of an object, comprising the steps of: (a) incubating a sample taken from the object starting at time t o , (b) periodically ascertaining an O 2 concentration of the incubating sample until the detected O 2 concentration decreases below a threshold value, (c) establishing the time period t Threshold measured from t o to the time at which the O 2 concentration decreased below the threshold value, and (d) correlating t Threshold to a viable aerobic microbe count in the sample prior to incubation, utilizing the linear equation: wherein: x=logarithm of the viable aerobic microbe count per unit weight of, volume of or area swabbed to obtain a sample at t y=t x-intercept=(−b/m)=an estimated or experimental value for the logarithm of the minimum viable aerobic microbe count at t