Food Microbiology: The Best Media Preparators

We surveyed the SuperMicrobiologists working in food microbiology labs to find out which culture media preparators they prefer (for the production of enrichment broth).

Two brands of media preparators came out on top in this survey, and we’ll introduce them in this article.

Contents:

• What is a media preparator?
• SuperMicrobiologists’ favorite media preparators
  • The MASTERCLAVE® from bioMérieux
  • The MEDIACLAVE from INTEGRA
• Dehydrated Culture Media
• Bonus : The ReadyStream

What is a media preparator?

A media preparator (also called Media Sterilizer) is a “machine” that helps prepare and sterilize culture media.

In food microbiology labs, these preparators are mainly used to produce enrichment broths, such as Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) and Fraser broth (or Half-Fraser broth).

Using a media preparator is relatively easy. You put the dehydrated culture medium (the powder) and water into the stainless steel tank, and then start the sterilization cycle (20 minutes at 121°C).

During this process, the machine sterilizes the medium while stirring it to ensure it mixes well. After sterilization, it cools the medium down so it can be safely used by the operator and the microorganisms—after all, we don’t want to burn them!

When preparing an enrichment broth, the preparator is directly connected to a gravimetric dilutor. The only thing left to do is weigh the sample, and the dilutor will add the sterile enrichment broth.

Easy, right?

SuperMicrobiologists’ favorite media preparators

There are many factors to consider when choosing a media preparator, and we’ve listed them in a dedicated article. To make it easier for you, we surveyed SuperMicrobiologists from the food industry to find out which media preparators they prefer.

Here are the two top brands:

The MASTERCLAVE® from bioMérieux

With its roots from AES Chemunex, bioMérieux has continued the MASTERCLAVE dynasty by developing a new generation of media preparators.

Three models are available: the MASTERCLAVE® 10 (1 to 10 liters), the MASTERCLAVE® 20 (1 to 20 liters), and the MASTERCLAVE® 60 (20 to 60 liters), catering to both small and large microbiology labs.

These products are made in France

The three key strengths of MASTERCLAVE:

• AutoStart: This unique feature allows delayed starts. You can add the powder to the tank in the evening, and by morning, the MASTERCLAVE® will add water and start the sterilization process. This way, you can begin analysis as soon as you arrive at the lab—after your morning coffee, of course!
  (Note: This option is not available on the M10 model.)
  
• Durability: The MASTERCLAVE® line has been around for over 40 years and is renowned for its reliability in labs worldwide.
  
• Support: bioMérieux offers preventive and curative maintenance contracts for MASTERCLAVE®.

The MEDIACLAVE from INTEGRA

INTEGRA Biosciences is well known for its pipettes, but it also offers the MEDIACLAVE range of media preparators.

Although less visible in the French market, MEDIACLAVE preparators are used in many food microbiology labs.

Two sizes are available: MEDIACLAVE 10 (10 liters for preparing agar media) and MEDIACLAVE 30 (30 liters for enrichment broths).

The MEDIACLAVE range is manufactured in Switzerland.

The three key strengths of MEDIACLAVE 10/30: :

• Easy to use: With its sleek design, the MEDIACLAVE 10/30 is very user-friendly (few buttons, intuitive interface).
  
• Reliability: Thousands of MEDIACLAVE units are used in microbiology labs (research, clinical, pharma, food) worldwide. These media sterilizers are known for their safety and high reliability.
  
• Maintenance: INTEGRA Biosciences offers preventive and curative maintenance contracts, with the option to provide a replacement unit within 48 hours during repairs.

Dehydrated Culture Media

To prepare culture media (BPW, Fraser) with a media preparator, you need powder—but not just any powder! Not all dehydrated media are the same (see an article on this subject).

During the survey, we also asked SuperMicrobiologists which brands of Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) they prefer.

Here are the four most mentioned brands of dehydrated media:

Here are the four most mentioned brands of dehydrated media:

• Biokar
• bioMerieux
• BD
• Merck

Your choice of dehydrated medium will depend on your matrices (pH), weights (25 or 375g), and detection methods (sensitivity, incubation time, etc.).

Bonus : The ReadyStream

The ReadyStream from Merck is not exactly a “media preparator” like the ones described above, but it’s still a technology that allows you to prepare sterile enrichment broth from dehydrated media.

The three key strengths of ReadyStream:

• Prepare 100 liters of BPW in just 15 minutes.
  
• Sterilization is done through filtration, which uses less energy than heat sterilization—and it eliminates the risk of burns.
  
• The prepared medium can be stored for up to 5 days after rehydration.

If you have any questions about the ReadyStream, feel free to ask in the comments or contact a Merck specialist.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for SuperMicrobiologists working in food microbiology labs, the two preferred media preparators are the MASTERCLAVE® from bioMérieux and the MEDIACLAVE from INTEGRA.

These devices stand out for their features, reliability, and ease of use, meeting the needs of professionals in food microbiology.

A newcomer, the ReadyStream from Merck, also offers an innovative alternative for quickly preparing enrichment broths.

If you still have any questions regarding media preparators, let us know in the comments. We’ll be more than happy to answer them!