TY - JOUR T1 - Selection of Biological Indicator for Validating Microwave Heating Sterilization JF - PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology JO - PDA J Pharm Sci Technol SP - 60 LP - 65 VL - 52 IS - 2 AU - Koichi Sasaki AU - Yumi Mori AU - Washiro Honda AU - Yasuo Miyake Y1 - 1998/03/01 UR - http://journal.pda.org/content/52/2/60.abstract N2 - For the purpose of selecting an appropriate biological indicator for evaluation of the effects of microwave heating sterilization, we examined aerobic bacterial spores to determine whether microwaves have non-thermal sterilization effects. After microwave irradiation on dry bacterial spores (three species), none of the bacterial spores were killed. The survival rate of the spores after microwave irradiation of spore suspensions (twelve species) was compared with that after heating by a conventional method. The order of heat resistance in the bacterial species was similar between the two heating methods. Bacillusstearothermophilus spores were the most heat-resistant. These results suggest that microwaves have no non-thermal sterilization effects on bacterial spores, the specific resistant spores to microwave heating, and microwave heating sterilization can be evaluated in the same way as for conventional heating sterilization. As a biological indicator for evaluation of overkill sterilization, B. stearothermophilus spores may be appropriate for microwave heating sterilization as well as steam sterilization.Copyright © Parenteral Drug Association. All rights reserved. ER -