Magnetoelastic sensors with hybrid films for bacteria detection in milk

Currently the detection of bacteria in food needs to be quick and accurate to avoid health problems. An alternative to enable the rapid detection of microorganisms in food is the use of magnetoelastic sensors. These sensors allow the detection and quantitation of bacteria via sensor mass variation. In addition to speed and simplicity, the great advantage is remote sensing, without the use of direct physical connections (wireless monitoring). The objective of this research is to develop a sensor for the detection of bacteria in milk using a magnetoelastic alloy (Metglas 2826MB3) coated with a hybrid film based on silicon alkoxide precursors (TEOS and MAP) without the use of antibodies. Resonance frequency variation were measured and the sensor responded to mass variation and allowed the detection of the presence of bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) in different concentrations, with the sensor remaining intact throughout the test period.