When microbiologists are asked what the most annoying task is, almost everyone answers: “Serial dilutions.” On one hand, it’s repetitive and hard on the joints (risk of MSDs). On the other hand, it requires a lot of focus and precision—lose track (or the tube), and you might end up with inaccurate results. Not easy… here’s […]
If there’s one indispensable tool for microbiology labs worldwide, it’s the incubator. At a minimum, an incubator must be temperature-stable and homogeneous. Most manufacturers meet this standard (although a few surprises still pop up occasionally). No, the real difference between two incubators lies elsewhere. To help you choose the model best suited to your needs, […]
Automation in microbiology labs is a hot topic these days. However, before taking the leap, microbiologists still have many questions: To answer these questions, we talked to a lab that has already taken the plunge. Here is an interview of Raul Mesa, Quality and Food Safety Manager for Coca Cola Europacific Partner, who recently implemented […]
Choosing a supplier for culture media in environmental monitoring is a bit like getting married… You hope it will last a lifetime, but sometimes it ends in divorce. And that’s when things get messy… because everything will need to be revalidated! The first step is to create a requirements specification, and you can find all […]
The air sampler is certainly not the most expensive piece of equipment in the laboratory, but choosing the right model is a serious commitment that will stay with you for many years. To make the right choice, several criteria need to be considered, such as the technical performance of the device, ease of use, as […]
There are dozens of microbial air-sampler available on the market, but which one should you choose for environmental monitoring in the pharmaceutical industry? The answer to this question will, of course, depend on your specific needs. So the first step is to establish your requirements. Next, it’s up to you to reach out to suppliers […]
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation where everyone uses different terms to talk about the same thing? That’s exactly what we noticed with the plates used for surface sampling. We did a quick survey with the SuperMicrobiologistes, and here are the nicknames you gave them: But do all these terms mean the same […]
When you go on an air sampling campaign, it’s never for just one sample. You get your control plan ready (whether on paper or digitally), pick up your air sampler and agar plates, and head off for a few hours in the production area. But between two samples, to avoid cross-contamination, how do you ensure […]
There are things we do every day in the lab without thinking much about them, simply because that’s how we were taught. Then one morning, we wake up and wonder: “Why on earth do we incubate Petri dishes upside down?” Do bacteria enjoy doing somersaults, or is it all about gravity? To solve this mystery, […]
This article is brought to us by a SuperMicrobiologist, Ségolène Charrat, who is a contamination control consultant (among other roles) at Cophaclean. If you would like to write an article for the blog, contact us. The goal of environmental monitoring is to ensure that cleanrooms and air treatment equipment continue to provide a suitable quality […]