An improved method for detection of total coliforms and E. coli comprising a broth containing an ingredient that will encourage growth and repair of injured coliforms, buffers to maintain a pH in the range of 6.5-8, at least one agent that suppresses growth of gram positive cocci and spore-forming organisms, at least one active agent that will suppress growth of non-coliform gram negative bacteria, and at least one chromogen or fluorogen has been used effectively and is cost effective. In the preferred embodiment, both a fluorogen and chromogen were used. Preferred methods include use of filter and/or plates containing the growth-promoting ingredients and the indicators.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/117,342 filed Sep. 7, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,590, which is a file-wrapper continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/793,881 filed Nov. 18, 1991, now abandoned.
An improved method for detection of total coliforms and E. coli comprising a broth containing an ingredient that will encourage growth and repair of injured coliforms, buffers to maintain a pH in the range of 6.5-8, at least one agent that suppresses growth of gram positive cocci and spore-forming organisms, at least one active agent that will suppress growth of non-coliform gram negative bacteria, and at least one chromogen or fluorogen has been used effectively and is cost effective. In the preferred embodiment, both a fluorogen and chromogen were used. Preferred methods include use of filter and/or plates containing the growth-promoting ingredients and the indicators.
An improved method for detection of total coliforms and E. coli comprising a broth containing an ingredient that will suppress growth of non-coliform gram negative bacteria, and at least one chromogen or fluorogen has been used effectively and is cost effective. Preferred methods include use of filter and/or plates containing the growth-promoting ingredients and the indicators.
Compositions containing bacteriophages and methods of using bacteriophages in microorganism detection assays and microbial growth and plating media are disclosed. The lytic ability of these phages to control the growth of non-target populations provides superior sensitivity and specificity to detection assays and reduces false negative and false positive results. The removal of contaminating bacteria reduces the microbial competition for nutrients in the growth media thereby increasing the efficiency and productivity of the culture. The phage treatment of the sample increases the proportion of target microorganisms in the sample over contaminating bacteria thereby requiring less time for enrichment to obtain a significant signal improving overall signal to noise ratio in assays and providing for higher yield of end product in microbiological production systems.
