Water quality testing is a cornerstone of public health protection - and E. coli detection at the center of it all. For decades, laboratories have relied on culture-based methods that take 24 hours to deliver results. But in today’s fast-paced environments, those 18–24 hours can feel like an eternity when safety decisions or product releases are on hold.

Diamidex’s new solution, MICA Advance E. coli, brings a radical shift: presence/absence results in just 6 hours, while still using the core principles of traditional microbiology. In this article, we explore how this breakthrough technology accelerates water testing without compromising accuracy, helping labs make critical decisions within the same shift.

In water microbiology, waiting 24 hours for E. coli results has long been a necessary evil. With ISO 9308 as the reference method, testing typically means incubating overnight, and performing a naked-eye count the next day – an 18- to 24-hour wait that can stall product release and public-health decisions.

The method is trusted and sensitive - but it’s slow. Diamidex’s new MICA Advance E. coli solution changes the game: it delivers reliable, culture-based E. coli detection results in just 6 hours - without sacrificing the accuracy and compliance laboratories rely on.

MICA Advance is not a molecular or enzymatic shortcut. It’s a genuine evolution of the culture method: the same membrane filtration, the same agar, but with an added twist - early fluorescent labeling and AI-powered microcolony detection. Instead of waiting for colonies to grow large enough to see by eye, MICA detects microcolonies of E. coli after about 6 hours of incubation. Results are automatically analyzed and digitally recorded, reducing manual steps and human error. In addition to confirming presence or absence, MICA can also estimate CFU counts - a helpful bonus, though the official endpoint remains detection.

• Filtration – both methods start with a standard membrane filtration step.
• Culture medium – both place the membrane on Chromogenic Coliform Agar (CCA); nothing new to purchase.
• Incubation
  • ISO 9308-1: 37 °C for 18–24 h
  • MICA Advance: 40 °C for ≈ 6 h (the slightly higher temperature improves E. coli selectivity).
• Detection principle
  • ISO 9308-1: Visual- colonies must grow large enough to be seen by eye.
  • MICA Advance: Fluorescence - early E. coli micro-colonies are tagged with a fluorophore and spotted automatically.
• Result output
  • ISO 9308-1: technician performs a manual count and logs the data.
  • MICA Advance: instrument delivers a digital “Detected / Not Detected” verdict (plus an optional CFU estimate) and stores an audit-ready report.
• Target organisms
  • ISO 9308-1 targets E. coli and other coliforms.
  • MICA Advance focuses on E. coli only

Despite the shorter time, MICA Advance matches the standard’s performance:

• Accuracy : >90% on bottled and tap water samples - results fully aligned with ISO outcomes
• LOD : 1 CFU/filtered volume, as ISO’s benchmark  
• 100% E. coli tested strains detected (28 environmental and collection strains)

With MICA Advance, labs no longer need to wait until tomorrow for results. A water sample tested in the morning can yield actionable results by mid-afternoon. That’s a game-changer for:

• Public utilities, where faster detection improves public safety 
• Bottlers, who can release clean batches on the same day 
• Service labs, who can process up to 500 samples daily with automated throughput 

Even better, MICA fits into existing lab workflows. It uses the same filtration and agar techniques, so labs don’t need to retrain staff or revamp their processes. And with digital traceability and 21 CFR Part 11-ready outputs, it checks the compliance box, too.

MICA Advance E. coli redefines what’s possible with culture-based microbiology - delivering trusted results in a fraction of the time.

Want to see the 6-hour detection in action in your lab? Contact Diamidex to arrange a trial and experience the difference for yourself!