A miniaturised, automated system for sampling and monitoring the microbiological quality of air, surfaces, and potentially water and food

Microbial Detection in Air System for Space (MiDASS) was a joint effort between ESA and bioMérieux, a French company specialised in the in vitro diagnostics sector that designs, develops, produces and markets diagnosis systems for medical applications. The objective of the project was to develop a miniaturised, automated system for sampling and monitoring the microbiological quality of air, surfaces, and potentially water and food. For ESA, the system would be used in the International Space Station for air, surface and water treatment, as well as in ESA clean rooms used for robot assembly (in line with COSPAR's Planetary Protection Policy). For bioMérieux, applications would be found in the monitoring system's ability to enable rapid response to contamination, ensuring the safety of sterile pharmaceutical products (e.g. vaccines), and in critical environmental control areas such as in hospitals (e.g. hematology, sterile foods). ESA and bioMérieux co-developed the world's first fully automated system to monitor for the microbial contamination of air and surfaces using molecular detection. The system was launched in 2014. The MiDASS system addresses two major societal concerns: pharmaceutical drug safety and the high costs of healthcare. The system not only facilitates the development of safer drugs for consumers, but it also makes drug manufacturing more economical. The Federal Drug Authority (FDA) is pushing for more effective microbial monitoring systems during sterile drug production (the process analytical technology (PAT) initiative). In addition, the pharmaceutical industry wants to make sure it can detect incidents as quickly as possible. This system not only closely monitors the air and surfaces in pharmaceutical drug production processes, but it also fulfills the need for rapid tools for troubleshooting when contamination is detected. It also avoids product dumping. Therefore, from an economic perspective, it is expected that pharma manufacturing costs can be reduced significantly through better mastering of the production process. MELiSSA expertise MELiSSA possesses and fosters distinctive expertise in the identification of microbial risks in closed and intensive environments. Furthermore, MELiSSA has extensive experience in the joint development with industry of equipment which must meet the highest standards.