Hygiene monitoring product supplier 3M Food Safety has introduced software upgrades to its 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader.
This plate reader is a peripheral device that can automatically count and record colonies of bacteria on 3M Petrifilm Plates indicator tests, thereby facilitating the manual, time-consuming task.
The upgraded software version 4.0 of the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader enables automated interpretation, imaging and data mapping of the 3M Petrifilm Rapid Aerobic Count Plate.
The software enhancements aim to increase efficiency and reduce costs at food safety labs worldwide, as well as enhance the traceability of the indicator testing results.
Traceability has become an important factor due to the globalisation of the food supply chain and its role in protecting human health.
Each 3M Petrifilm Plate is immunised and incubated before being loaded into the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader.
The reader can electronically read and interpret the Petrifilm Plate in four seconds.
Tested on a wide range of food products, the technology allows documenting test data and storing individual plate images on file.
The reader can also automate logging of 128 symbology barcode labels, recording details related to the food type, food lot, technician and dilution schemes.
The data can be transmitted easily to the laboratory information management systems and other reporting tools.
3M Food Safety global marketing manager Jason Semerad said: "Variability in colony counts is driven by any number of factors, not limited to, lab technician interpretation differences, missed counts, differing levels of experience, multi-tasking and even time of day and fatigue.
"3M Petrifilm Plate Reader automation eliminates that variability, as well as, transcription errors, while improving overall lab productivity and audit-readiness. Food processors will also appreciate knowing the technology has been expanded to encompass more tests."
The new software will help the food and beverage industries maintain product quality and safety, thereby enhancing consumer safety.
