Mesa Labs offers a complete line of spore strips for sterility testing in various sterilization environments for both Healthcare and Industrial applications.

Mesa’s products are manufactured in accordance with USP and ISO Guidelines and the US Food & Drug Administration’s Quality System Regulations. Available in 100 count clear resealable bags.

Spore strips are in Schleicher & Schuell filter paper (#470) – size 6.4mm x 38.1mm – packaged in a peel open glassine paper pouch. Glassine paper is permeable to sterilant but resistant to moisture and air at ambient temperature/pressure. This allows the user to transport the strip within the glassine from the sterilizer to a laminar flow hood, where it can be transferred into recovery medium. Populations of strips are typically from 1.0 X 10n to 4.0 X 10n. Lot number and expiration date are printed on each glassine.

  • Geobacillus stearothermophilus* – For use in steam sterilization at 121.1°C (250° F) to 135°C (275° F), and Chemiclave®. After exposure to sterilant, incubate strips at 55-60°C.
  • Bacillus atrophaeus* – For use in Ethylene Oxide (600 mg/L) and Dry Heat Sterilization (D-value calculated at 160°C). After exposure to sterilant, incubate strips at 30-35°C.
  • Combined Species Spore Strips – G. stearothermophilus* (105) and B. atrophaeus* (106) on each strip. For use in Steam, EO, Dry Heat or Chemiclave® sterilizers.

* Derived from recognized reference strains as specified within USP, ISO or EN guidelines. These products are not certified as being representative of the reference strain and they should therefore not be used where a reference culture is specified.

24-Hour Incubation Claim

The Biological Spore Strips with Modified Tryptic Soy Broth with Bromocresol Purple (single species G. stearothermophilus ATCC #7953 or dual species G. stearothermophilus ATCC #7953 and B. atrophaeus ATCC #9372) are intended for use in testing the efficacy of steam sterilization cycles at 121°C-135°C. A reduced incubation time of 24 hours at 60°C +/- 2°C has been validated for steam sterilization when the Bacterial Spore Strip manufactured at Mesa’s Manufacturing Facility (either the single species G. stearothermophilus spore strip or the dual species spore strip) is used in conjunction with the Modified Tryptic Soy Broth with Bromocresol Purple also manufactured at Mesa’s facility.

 

Mail-In Service

Weekly biological monitoring (i.e., spore testing) is the standard of practice across the country for dental practitioners.

Mesa Labs is an industry leader in providing sterilizer monitoring solutions including mail-in and in-office spore testing, chemical indicators and record keeping. Learn more about achieving compliance with CDC, ADA and AAMI guidelines by clicking here.

Technical Specifications
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Technical Specifications

Mesa’s spore strips are certified for Species, Population, D-value, Z-value (where appropriate) and Expiry.

Spore Strips Biological Indicator


Incubation

24 Hours

Expiration

  • Spore Strip for EO/Dry Heat: 24 months from date of manufacture
  • Spore Strip for Steam/Chemiclave® and Combined Species: 18 months from date of manufacture
Model Steam Ethylene Oxide and Dry Heat Dual Species
Organism Geobacillus stearothermophilus 79531 Bacillus atrophaeus 93721 Geobacillus stearothermophilus 79531 and Bacillus atrophaeus 93721
Spore Count ≥1.0 x 104
≥1.0 x 105
≥1.0 x 106
≥1.0 x 104
≥1.0 x 106
≥1.0 x 105 (GST)
≥1.0 x 106 (BATR)
D-Value

≥1.5 minutes

D160-value: ≥1.0 minutes
DEtO-value: ≥2.0 minutes

D160-value: ≥1.0 minutes
DEtO-value: ≥2.0 minutes
D121-value: ≥1.5 minutes

Z-Value

≥6° C

Dry Heat Only: ≥20° C

≥6° C (GST)
≥20o C (BATR)

Standard Incubation

Time: 7 days
Temp: 55-60o C
Media: SCDB

Time: 7 days
Temperature: 30-35o C
Media: SCDB or TSB-BP16

Steam/Chemiclave:
Time: 7 days
Temp: 55-60oC
Media: Tryptic Soy Broth or Mesa TSB-BP16


EO/Dry Heat:
Time: 7 days
Temp: 30-35oC
Media: Tryptic Soy Broth or Mesa TSB-BP16

Reduced Incubation Time (RIT)2

Steam:
Time: 24 hrs.
Temp: 58-62o C
Media: Mesa TSB-BP16


Chemiclave:
Time: 72 hrs.
Temp: 58-62o C
Media: Mesa TSB-BP16

 

Steam:
Time: 24 hrs.
Temp: 58-62o C
Media: Mesa TSB-BP16


Chemiclave:
Time: 72 hrs.
Temp: 58-62o C
Media: Mesa TSB-BP16

Storage

15-27° C at 30-70% RH.
Do not refrigerate.

15-27° C at 30-70% RH.
Do not refrigerate.

15-27° C at 30-70% RH.
Do not refrigerate.

Shelf-Life

18 months from date of manufacture

24 months from date of manufacture

18 months from date of manufacture

Nominal Dimensions

Strip: 6 x 38mm
Envelope: 25 x 76mm

Strip: 6 x 38mm
Envelope: 25 x 76mm

Strip: 6 x 38mm
Envelope: 25 x 76mm


1 or equivalent recognized culture collection strains

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