Microwave Sterilization of Biological Media: a Novel Approach for Better Microbial Growth

This work focuses on comparison of microwave treated media with media sterilized through conventional autoclaving in terms of their ability to support- microbial growth, spore germination, and revival of lyophilized bacterial cultures. Microwave sterilized media support better microbial growth. Both bacteria and yeast are able to achieve higher cell density at a faster growth rate in microwaved media. Microwave treatment is suitable for media of varying compositions. Better retention of nutrient quality in microwave treated growth media due to shorter heat exposure seems to be the major reason for better microbial growth in it. Microwave sterilization can prove an attractive alternative of conventional autoclaving, especially when media are needed for immediate use, and also when high biomass yield is of particular interest. Microwaved media may be of special value for growing recombinant organisms in high densities, so as to produce increased amount of the inserted gene product.