Biosensor for Bacterial Detection Through Color Change in Culture Medium

Abstract

Rapid and accurate bacterial detection is essential in medicine, the food industry, and environmental monitoring. This work presents the development of an optical sensor based on color changes in the culture medium that leverages the optical interaction of bacterial metabolic products. The proposed prototype operates on the principle of optical transmittance through mannitol salt agar (ASM), a selective medium for Staphylococcus aureus. As bacterial growth progresses, the medium undergoes changes in thickness and, primarily, color, which is optically measurable at specific wavelengths depending on the type of illumination provided by the simplified light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The sensor demonstrated the ability to detect bacterial growth in approximately 90–120 min, offering a significant reduction in detection time compared to traditional incubation methods. The system is characterized by its simplicity, sensitivity, low reagent consumption (up to 140 fewer reagents per test), and potential for real-time monitoring. These findings support the viability of the proposed sensor as an efficient alternative for early pathogen detection in both clinical and industrial applications. Finally, a proposal for simplifying the sensor in a system composed of a light-emitting diode and a light-dependent resistor is presented.