Quantification of micro-organisms in binary mixed populations by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy

Lett Appl Microbiol. 2000 Jan;30(1):85-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2000.00694.x.

Abstract

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used for the first time to determine the ratios of different microorganisms in mixtures. Exemplarily, systems composed of two food-associated yeast species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae/Hanseniaspora uvarum) and two yoghurt lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus/Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus) were investigated. Determination of the cell number ratio in the lactic acid bacteria system was possible with a minimal prediction accuracy of +/- 16 ratio percentage points while the minimum accuracy of prediction in the yeast two-component system was +/- 4% (both at a 95% confidence level). These results show that FT-IR spectroscopy is potentially a rapid method for the quantification of cell ratios in mixtures of two different microorganisms, provided that the cell ratio does not drop below a certain, system-specific threshold.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / chemistry*
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Colony Count, Microbial / methods
  • Lactobacillus acidophilus / chemistry
  • Least-Squares Analysis
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / chemistry
  • Species Specificity
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared*
  • Streptococcus / chemistry
  • Yeasts / chemistry*
  • Yeasts / isolation & purification