Clostridium bacteria test pouch

Abstract

To provide a pouch that can be suitably used to measure Clostridium species more simply and accurately than conventional methods. [Solution] A Clostridium test pouch 1 has a storage section 2 containing a predetermined amount of sterilized Clostridium culture medium 5, and an upper end 3 continuous with this storage section is heat-sealed 4, and is integrally formed from anaerobic plastic film. By using a Clostridium test pouch 1 that has a predetermined amount of sterilized Clostridium culture medium pre-sealed inside, the work required for conventional Clostridium measurement is greatly simplified, so that work efficiency and measurement accuracy can be improved even in small laboratories.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pouch suitably used for the inspection of Clostridium bacteria.

Background Art

[0002] In the Food Hygiene Law, component standards for Clostridium bacteria (such as Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium welchii) are defined for specific heat-treated meat products and heat-treated meat products (heat sterilization after packaging). Conventionally, a method using a pouch as described in Patent Document 1 has been widely used as a method for measuring the number of Clostridium bacteria in a test solution.

[0003] Specifically, after dispensing a predetermined amount (for example, 10 mL) of a homogenized test solution into a sterilized anaerobic pouch, a predetermined amount (for example, 15 mL) of a culture medium for measuring Clostridium bacteria, which has been heat sterilized and kept at a predetermined temperature (for example, 50 degrees Celsius), is added thereto. After heat-sealing the upper end of the pouch, the test solution and the culture medium are mixed by stirring, and the mixture is held in a standing state in a predetermined holder and cultured at a predetermined temperature (for example, degrees Celsius) for a predetermined time (for example, 24 ± 2 hours). Then, the black colonies of the Clostridium bacteria that appear are measured and counted (see Figure 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Although this method has the advantage that Clostridium bacteria can be easily measured without the need for special equipment or the like, in actual inspections, many steps as described above must be carried out, which not only takes a lot of labor but also may reduce the measurement accuracy if the conditions in each step are not strictly controlled.

[0006] Therefore, the problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a pouch that can be suitably used to measure Clostridium species more simply and accurately than in the conventional method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve this problem, the present invention according to claim 1 is a pouch for testing Clostridium species, characterized in that it has a storage section containing a predetermined amount of sterilized Clostridium species culture medium, and the upper end continuous with this storage section is sealed airtight and liquidtight.

[0008] The present invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the Clostridium bacteria testing pouch described in claim 1 is integrally formed from an anaerobic plastic film. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, since a predetermined amount of Clostridium bacteria measurement culture medium that has been sterilized in advance is sealed inside the pouch, it has the effect of significantly reducing the work that was previously required for measuring Clostridium bacteria. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a Clostridium bacteria testing pouch according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This flowchart briefly illustrates the Clostridium bacteria measurement procedure using this Clostridium bacteria testing pouch, showing the steps in order. [Figure 3] This flowchart briefly illustrates the conventional method for measuring Clostridium bacteria, showing the steps in order. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Figure 1 shows a Clostridium bacteria testing pouch 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Similar to conventional pouches such as those described in Patent Document 1, this pouch 1 has a housing section 2 that is approximately circular (or oval or elliptical) in plan view and an upper end section 3 that is approximately rectangular in plan view and continuous with the housing section 2, formed by heat-sealing the periphery of two anaerobic plastic films (each anaerobic plastic film may be a single-layer film made of a single plastic or a laminated film made by laminating multiple sticks).

[0012] What distinguishes this pouch 1 from conventional pouches such as those described in Patent Document 1 is that a predetermined amount of Clostridium species culture medium 5, which has been sterilized in advance, is contained in the storage section 2, and the opening at the upper end 3 is heat-sealed 4 in this state.

[0013] For example, pouch 1 is manufactured by heat-sealing the edges of two plastic films (a laminated film made by laminating 38 μm thick PET and 20 μm thick LLDPE) with the LLDPE laminated surface facing inward. The outer diameter of the storage section 2 is 100 mm, the inner diameter is 90 mm, the total length including the upper end 3 is 195 mm, and it has a maximum capacity of 25 mL. Such pouches 1 are mass-produced by various manufacturers and stored in a cleanroom after being sterilized by gamma irradiation or other methods. At this point, the storage section 2 of pouch 1 is empty, and the upper end 3 is open.

[0014] A predetermined amount (for example, 15 mL) of Clostridium culture medium 5 (hereinafter simply referred to as "culture medium") is dispensed into the empty pouch 1 through the open upper end 3. It is preferable to use commercially available culture medium 5, autoclav it, and then aseptically dispense it into pouch 1.

[0015] After accommodating a predetermined amount of the culture medium 5 in the accommodating portion 2 as described above, the opening of the upper end portion 3 is heat-sealed with the heat seal 4 and cooled, thereby manufacturing the pouch 1 containing the culture medium of the present invention. Since the steps up to this point can be carried out in a well-equipped factory (see Fig. 2), mass production is possible, and it is stored while maintaining a sterilized state in a clean room.

[0016] When performing a measurement test for Clostridium bacteria using this pouch 1, take out the stored pouch 1, soak it in hot water to dissolve the culture medium 5, cut off and open the upper heat seal portion, dispense 10 mL of the test solution collected from the food or the like to be inspected, then heat-seal the upper end portion 3 again, mix well, cool and solidify it, and then incubate it in an incubator at a predetermined temperature (for example, 35 ± 1 degree) for a predetermined time (for example, 24 ± 2 hours), and measure and count the black colonies that appear.

[0017] Many commercially available culture media contain agar, but when using a liquid culture medium from which agar has been removed, the growth of Clostridium bacteria is accelerated. Therefore, such a liquid culture medium may be used as a culture medium for measuring Clostridium bacteria and accommodated in the pouch accommodating portion 2. In this case, it becomes a qualitative test for confirming the presence or absence of bacteria and the quantitative measurement of the number of bacteria cannot be performed, but since the dissolution operation by soaking in hot water is also unnecessary, further shortening of the process is achieved.

[0018] As is clear from the comparison between Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, by using the pouch 1 of the present invention in which a predetermined amount of the culture medium for measuring Clostridium bacteria that has been sterilized is pre-encapsulated, the operations required for the conventional measurement of Clostridium bacteria are greatly simplified. Therefore, it is possible to improve the working efficiency and measurement accuracy even in a small-scale laboratory or the like.

[0019] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be variously modified within the scope of the invention described in the claims for utility model registration.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0020] 1 Pouch for measuring Clostridium bacteria according to the present invention 2 Accommodating portion 3 Upper end 4. Heat seal section 5. Culture medium for measuring Clostridium species

Claims

1. A pouch for testing Clostridium species, characterized by having a compartment containing a predetermined amount of sterile Clostridium species culture medium, with the upper end continuous with this compartment sealed airtight and liquidtight.

2. The Clostridium strain test pouch according to claim 1, characterized in that it is integrally formed from an anaerobic plastic film.

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