Microbiological culture bottle, and method of making and using same

A method of making a container (10) for detecting aerobic microorganisms in a sample comprising the steps of:

• providing a sealable container with a closed chamber, said closed chamber having a headspace;
• inserting an unexpanded non-toxic porous insert (22) into said container (10);
• adding to said porous insert (22) disposed within said container (10) a microbial growth media (24) while exposing upon sealing said container, said porous insert (22) to said headspace in said container, said porous insert providing a quantity of oxygen to said media for increasing the microorganisms to oxygen exposure and enhancing the microorganisms' metabolism;
• and
• sterilizing said media.

A method of detecting the presence of aerobic microbiological growth in a sealed sample container (10) having a headspace (16) containing a sample which contain unknown microorganisms, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a sealed sample container (10) having a headspace (16) and a non-toxic insert (22) including a microbiological growth media disposed on said insert thereon, for providing a quantity of oxygen to said media, said insert having a surface area for exposing the microorganisms to oxygen within said container and enhancing the metabolism of the microorganisms, said insert being selected from the group consisting of sponge, cotton, fiber glass beads, glass, and resinous material;
• (b) inoculating said insert (22) within said sealed container (10) with said sample containing said unknown microorganisms;
• and
• (c) monitoring the metabolism within said container (10) as an indicator of the presence of said microorganisms to detect said microorganisms in said sample, while maintaining said container and said insert in a static state during said monitoring step.