James,
Defective units are incubated in a separate tote from the rest of the units.
When incubation is complete, these units are examined with the rest. Any
unit found to have growth is separated and the organism(s) are identified.
Defective ampoules (leakers, etc.) are likely to have growth. This doesn't
invalidate your media fill. It just gives you some additional information
about what type of organisms may be in your process. It is basically for
information only.
We have actually just started doing this ourselves. We have found less
incidences of growth in defective ampoules that we thought we would have.

Michelle Wheeler
Micro Lab Supervisor
Holopack International


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