Methods of fabricating test sample containers by applying barrier coatings after sealed container sterilization

A process for producing monolayer polymeric culture sample containers, comprising:

• introducing a colorimetric sensor material comprising Liquid Emulsion Silicone (LES), into a molded container body of a single monolithic layer of polymeric material, the container body having a container shape with a bottom and an upwardly extending wall, wherein the upwardly extending has a wall thickness that is between about 0.5 and 5 mm;
• introducing growth media into the container body;
• introducing a gas or gas mixture into the container body under vacuum to define a headspace gas in an upper portion of the container body;
• sealing the container body with a stopper enclosing the growth media and the headspace gas therein;
• then
• autoclaving the sealed container body with the growth media and headspace gas enclosed therein;
• then
• applying then curing a fluid gas barrier coating to an exterior of the sterilized sealed container body while the sealed container body encloses the growth media and headspace gas therein to define a sealed culture container with the gas barrier coating as an exterior surface that is ready-to-use and shelf stable without post-gas barrier coating autoclaving, wherein the sealed culture container has a shelf life of one year or more and, measured at one year, can maintain 90% of its draw and has an oxygen transmission rate (cubic centimeter/container/day/atm air) that is between 0.001 and 0.01, and wherein the sealed container body with the applied gas barrier coating is visually transmissive.