Manual colony counting is a daily, tedious task, in every microbiology laboratory, regardless of the industry: environmental, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and beverage, or personal care. The counting and tracking processes are exacting, therefore time-consuming, and require considerable concentration for microbiologists. However, this important task can be made less of a chore, by using a digital counter or an automatic colony counter. These two tools can make colony counting and tracking more comfortable and time efficient for microbiologists, everywhere. Here are their highlights:
- A digital counter, such as the DOT, features a DINx2 magnification power lens, with an adjustable light. These features enable microbiologists to tick detected colonies while maintaining an accurate count on a digital display.
- The SphereFlash®, an automatic colony counter, allows microbiologists within 2 seconds to know the colony enumeration in one plate, thereby achieving standardized, highly accurate results.
Colony count on any kind of agar type and color
IUL’s automatic colony counter can detect and classify colonies of different colors on different kinds of agar, the most used being the following:
- Blood agar, differentiates bacteria by their hemolytic properties
- Chocolate agar, propagates respiratory bacteria
- Nutrient agar, grows bacteria and some fungi as the largest variety of microbes
- Luria Bertani (LB) agar, used as bacterial culture medium which can be supplemented with antibiotics to make it selective
- MacConkey ager, used to isolate and differentiate enteric by their ability to ferment lactose
- Chromogenic agars, which include colorless substrates that as the result of an enzymatic reaction, changes to a discernible color
A “one-size-fits-all”, suitable for all kind plates
The SphereFlash®, eliminates the need to use different devices for each kind of plate. It includes adapters and centering devices to fit varied diameters and plate shape types. You can switch your 100mm, 90mm, 60mm (RODAC), and membrane filter plates instantly. The SphereFlash® is ideal for use with 3M Petrifilm, CompactDry or MC-Media Pad plates.
Wide range of colony enumeration and traceability
The SphereFlash® features state-of-the-art software to detect a wide range of colony types with minimal or no user parametrization. It will use pre-existing methods or, if preferred, you can create your own. The SphereFlash® classifies colonies by color and by diameter, thereby resolving many microbiologists’ concerns.
Moreover, the software enables the colonies to stand out against challenging backgrounds to provide highly accurate results.
The SphereFlash® is the solution when the task requires an automatic colony counter that meets or exceeds the requirements of 21 CFR part 11 on traceability. It includes standard compliant: system validations, user management and audit trails. Results are exportable (including images) in CSV or PDF, to create customizable statistical reports. For more details about the 21 CFR part 11 compliance, you can read the following article.
In conclusion: The SphereFlash® is IUL’s most advanced automated colony counter and zone reader. Due to its patented reflection-free illumination chamber and powerful intuitive software, it features an optimal image capture. SphereFlash® will take your lab work to the next level.
