An automated integrated real-time monitoring platform facilitates efficient strain screening

Real-time scrutiny of probiotic cell density and physiological vitality remains a critical unmet challenge in industrial biomanufacturing because classic off-line assays are invasive, laborious and blind to physiological state. Here we introduce a multimodal real-time monitoring model for microorganisms which was proposed by introducing the nanostructured MetaSurface Plasmon Resonance (MetaSPR) chips. Validated against conventional sampling-based detection methods, this system exhibits high accuracy with consistent results. The functionalized MetaSPR chip enables the identification of microbial activity and the discrimination between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Coupling the chip to 96-well plates and automated pipetting workstation enabled fully automated, label-free read-outs for 48 h with zero sample loss, enabling industrial online detection. The platform optimized Bifidobacterium lactis BLa80 culture conditions and lyoprotectants, cutting the conventional design test cycle from weeks to hours. This work pioneers MetaSPR in online bacterial density monitoring, laying a foundation for real-time monitoring in probiotic food and pharmaceutical development.