US Patent Issued to National Agriculture Genotyping Center on May 19 for "Universal lactic acid bacteria quantification kit for fermentation monitoring" (North Dakota, Minnesota Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 19 -- United States Patent no. 12,630,873, issued on May 19, was assigned to National Agriculture Genotyping Center (St. Louis).

"Universal lactic acid bacteria quantification kit for fermentation monitoring" was invented by Megan Frances O'Neil (West Fargo, N.D.) and Lisa Marie Piche (Frazee, Minn.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Disclosed are universal LAB test kits, assays, apparatus and compositions for detecting and quantifying Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Weissella bacteria, or combinations thereof that contaminate biological materials such as fermentation mashes for production of ethanol from a crop such as corn. The assays can be performed on-site by ethanol tech...