| abstract |
The presence or absence of a predetermined target first generation environmental sourced microbe in an environmentally derived sample is determined by adding a testing medium to the sample, or vice versa. The testing medium provides a selective growth medium for the target microbe and includes a specific nutrient which only the target microbe can significantly metabolize and use for growth This specific nutrient is modified by attaching a sample-altering moiety thereto, thereby converting the nutrient to a nutrient-indicator. The sample-altering moiety is activated to alter the sample only if the specific nutrient is metabolized by the target microbe. The sample-altering moiety can be a material which changes the color of the sample (visable or non-visable) or changes an electrical characteristic of the sample, or alters some other detectable characteristic of the sample. The testing media does not have to be kept sterile, (but, obviously must be free of viable target microbes) and the test ire procedure does not have to be performed in a sterile environment. The medium also includes an accelerant which hastens the advancement of the target microbes to the log phase of growth during the testing procedure. |