Culture containers with internal top coating over gas barrier coating and associated methods

An evacuated blood culture sample container, comprising:

• an elongate molded monolithic single layer polymeric container body having an upwardly extending, visually transmissive wall with a wall thickness that is between about 0.2 and 10 mm;
• a colorimetric sensor in the container body;
• organism growth media in the container body;
• an elastomeric stopper sealably attached to the container body;
• a crimp seal cap over the elastomeric stopper;
• a thin visually transmissive gas barrier coating on the inner surface of the sealed container body;
• and
• a thin top coating on the gas barrier coating, wherein, after autoclaving and throughout a one year shelf life, the container maintains at least about 90% of its original draw volume, and wherein the sealed container with the internal gas barrier coating and top coating has an oxygen transmission rate that is between about 0.0001 and 0.04 (cc/container/day/atm air, 20 degrees C., 40% RH), on average.

A method of manufacturing a test sample culture device, comprising:

• molding or providing a molded single layer plastic container body having an interior surface and an exterior surface with a wall thickness of between about 0.2 mm to about 10 mm (average);
• coating the interior surface of the container body with a gas barrier coating comprising silica that defines a visually transmissive thin gas barrier layer;
• coating the gas barrier layer with an overlayer of a different material to define a visually transmissive thin internal top coat;
• then adding a growth media to the container body;
• adding a defined headspace gas composition to the bottle;
• placing an elastomeric stopper on the top of the bottle;
• and
• crimping a cap on the container body to seal the container shut.