MALDI-TOF MS（Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry）is a rapid identification technique based on characteristic ribosomal protein fingerprint spectra of high-abundance and stable expression in microorganisms.By analyzing the ribosomal protein fingerprint spectra obtained through MALDI-TOF MS, and comparing them with the known microbial species ribosomal protein fingerprint spectra database, the rapid identification of microbial strain can be achieved.

The MALDI-TOF MS database contains a wide range and sources of strains and is rich in bacterial, yeast, and filamentous fungal species, with 3,893 species and 10,833 strains in the main microbial database, and 274 species and 856 strains in the filamentous fungal database, including common industrial microorganisms such as Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, yeast, and molds. 96MALDI-TOF MS has the advantages of fast speed, high sensitivity, and high accuracy in microbial identification, with a turnaround time of less than 1 hour for 96 samples from the inoculated culture to the final identification report.。

As an emerging rapid microbial identification method, MALDI-TOF MS is currently a research hotspot both domestically and internationally. Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China has issued the standard document "General microganism identification method with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry" (GB/T 33682-2017), which was implemented on December 1, 2017. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has also issued the document "Methods for the Identification of Cultured Microorganisms Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry". MALDI-TOF MS has become the standard method for microbial species identification.

The China Center of Industrial Culture Collection (CICC), as the largest professional institution in China for microbial culture collection management, identification evaluation, and import, has long been engaged in microbial species identification and evaluation work, and was the first to equip with the MALDI-TOF MS (smart) in China.Compared with the MALDI-TOF MS (Microflex), MALDI-TOF MS (smart) has a more stable light source and faster operation speed. At present, the CICC MALDI-TOF MS rapid microbial identification method has obtained CNAS certification and provides services to the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and other industrial enterprises, testing agencies, universities, and research institutions.