PROCESS FOR ISOLATING MICROORGANISMS FROM SAMPLES AND SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR

摘要

A process for isolating microorganisms from samples, particularly Shigell a spp. from food samples, and a system, apparatus and composition therefor a re provided. Magnetic particles are used to capture microorganisms and a sys tem having separate magnetically-based apparatuses for collecting, concentra ting and retrieving is used to isolate the magnetic particles having bound m icroorganisms. The apparatus for concentrating magnetic particles utilizes a small magnet assisted by vibration to concentrate collected particles at a localized region on the bottom of a container. The process, system and appar atus of the present invention are simple and inexpensive providing improved magnetic particle recovery adaptable to large scales.