Perhaps the most ancient of microbiological processes to be mastered, fermentation products continue to be a major consumer force to this day. Beer, wine, and spirits are among the top products driving this market. To achieve the quality and consistency for large scale production, food and beverage scientists must rely on the latest scientific innovations and breakthroughs. Follow along with this month’s Food and Beverage LabTips to discover new technologies, applications and optimization strategies.
Tip 1: Embrace Automation and Machine Learning
The multi-parameter nature of alcohol beverage production has relied on precision instrumentation and experience of seasoned brewers, wine makers, and distillers for millennia. With the advancement of technological innovation, instrumentation capabilities have also improved commensurately. The modern laboratory had reached an impressive milestone with automation and AI. Even now, growing demand of automation in food science is seen in automated solid phase extraction (SPE). Removing the need for technicians and other expensive forms of labor, automation provides beverage scientists the means to run systems without the hinderance of human error and labor costs, while optimizing reproducibility testing and satisfying the demand for greater sample load analysis.
Researchers take another step toward the apex of innovation by adding automation capabilities to parameter analysis. Utilizing powerful AI systems for parameter analysis is the next step for modernizing the food science laboratory. Simultaneous analysis performed by AI enhanced systems will offer faster turnaround times, reduced expenses from labor and resources and decreased human error. In order for contemporary food and beverage science laboratories to stay competitive, it is essential that automation, industrial Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing and machine learning systems be strongly considered for the immediate future, if not right now.
Tip 2: Purchase the Right Incubator
Food microbiology is heavily reliant on the cultivation of laboratory microorganisms for a variety of diagnostic, development and manufacturing steps. To build a suitable environment for the growth of these microorganisms, researchers must use the correct incubator. It is to the detriment of growing laboratories to use suboptimal incubators when there are many options on the market designed for specific application. Manufacturers, such as Binder, provide state-of-the-art incubators that set the standard for operation and precision and should be considered in any purchase.
- General culture incubators have temperature capabilities ranging from 5 C to 65 C and can be further categorized between water-proof and electric thermostatic incubators.
- Humidity chamber incubators have temperature capabilities ranging for 5 C to 50 C and a humidity range between 50% to 90%. These work especially well for mold incubation applications
- CO2 Incubators range in temperature from 5 C to 55 C and can be utilize water jacked or air jacketed features. Ideal for cell culture applications the highly stable CO2 environments are great for preventing cell shock and appeal to both anaerobic and aerobic set ups.
Tip 3: Sterility Starts with the Biological Safety Cabinet
Any microbiologist worth their salt knows that sterile environments can make or break food microbiologic testing. It is paramount that lab personnel be trained and tested thoroughly in the laboratory’s standard administrative protocols, quality microbiological practices, personnel protection equipment, decontamination of materials and surfaces and the use of a biosafety cabinet (BSC).
Reliability of your BSC is critical to establishing a foundation of sterility and safety within any food microbiology facility. There are 3 classes of BSCs: Class I, Class II, and Class III—all of which use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration. The Class I BSC is the most basic cabinet that provides protection to personnel and lab environment. The Class II BSC provides protection to personnel, lab environment, and the sample. The Class III BSC is the maximum protection cabinet and used primarily in BSL-4 labs. It cannot be emphasized enough that only trusted BSC manufacturers, such as NuAire, should be used for such an important piece of equipment.
Chris Cicinelli is the Editor of Labcompare and American Laboratory.