Rapid detection and enumeration of contaminants by ATP bioluminescence using the Milliflex® Rapid Microbiology Detection and Enumeration System

The Milliflex((R)) Rapid Microbiology Detection and Enumeration System (RMDS) is an automated platform developed for the rapid detection of microbial contaminants in filterable samples. Based on membrane filtration, adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence and image analysis, RMDS gives microorganism enumeration a detection time reduced by a factor of four compared to plate count. After sample filtration and incubation step, a universal lysis solution and bioluminescence reagent are automatically sprayed across the membrane. The membrane is then analyzed in a detection tower where light emission is captured by a charged coupled device camera. Data collected are treated, directly providing a result in colony-forming units. RMDS sensitivity is one cell and is equivalent to traditional microbiology. Rapid detection of bacteria, mixed bacteria and yeast was performed in various industrial samples. RMDS allowed rapid detection of contaminants in different simple and complex matrices such as water, tea, wine and mammalian cells.