The Validation of the MicroSnap Total for Enumeration of Total Viable Count in a Variety of Foods.
Hygiena's MicroSnap™ Total enables rapid enumeration of total viable count (TVC) within an 8 h working shift. The method measures the biomarker adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which develops a light signal proportional to the concentration of biomarker discovered. The two-step assay determines ATP concentration and hence the concentration of bacteria in the sample at the onset of the growth phase. In the first phase, the sample is enriched in a broth containing ATP-depleting enzymes that reduce background ATP from sample matrixes. After the 7 h enrichment phase, an aliquot is taken from the Enrichment Device using a built-in pipet and transferred into a secondary Detection Device. The Detection Device is then activated and measured as relative light units in a Hygiena luminometer for quantitative results in just 15 s. This study measures and compares the natural TVC from five sample matrixes: raw ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, raw chicken, and freshly produced cream cake. MicroSnap Total successfully enumerates TVC from all samples over an average range of log 2.00-6.50; equivalence is demonstrated by an overall r2value of 0.9184.