INTEGRATED CASSETTE FOR COUNTING LOW-CONCENTRATION LIVE BACTERIA IN FOODS USING 3D STAINING TECHNOLOGY

We have developed a rapid, easy-to-use and accurate live bacteria counter (BC) using the disposable cassette (55 mm x 55 mm x 13 mm), which is composed of tanks containing fluorescent dyes and the micro flow-cell (40 m x 20 m). The BC measures live bacteria count through staining live bacteria and detecting these by flow-cytometry technique. We applied 3D staining technology for distinguishing live bacteria from foreign fluorescent particles in foods. And we achieved that the lower detection limits are less than 10 3 (cell/ml) and the correlation factors between the BC and the cultural method are over 0.9.