Q: What are the current challenges with media preparation?
Tim Cser: Dehydrated culture media has been around since the mid-1800’s. Louis Pasteur is widely credited with creating the first media of yeast, ash, candy sugar and ammonium salts. In fact, Merck/MilliporeSigma has the first patent on culture media in 1885! This same idea has been a backbone of microbiology since its inception. However, getting the culture media into a usable format has always had its challenges. Ubiquitous around the globe, culture media is the simplest, most cost-effective way to grow and study microbes. Some media, like Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB), is already formulated and ready to weigh, mix and autoclave. Other media require raw materials to be mixed together from scratch, requiring quite a bit of time and man hours. Weighing the media requires a calibrated balance, scoops, storage, a mixing hotplate, an autoclave, Erlenmeyer flasks, bottles, etc… a classic media kitchen. In addition, weighing the powder can be a messy process, creating dust inhalation concerns. MilliporeSigma helps solve some of that with our granulated media (think sugar vs flour) that produces at least 70% less dust and is much easier to weigh and pour. Each step requires human interaction from weighing to removing it from the autoclave. Then, once it’s ready to be used, often times it needs to be re-heated to a higher temperature.
Q: How does the ReadyStream system address those challenges?
Cser: The ReadyStream® instrument streamlines the media preparation process by eliminating the need for an autoclave, balance, glassware, hotplate, etc. The sterile granulated media comes in a vacuum-sealed, irradiated pouch that gets hydrated and heated at the same time. The ReadyStream® uses sterile, filtered water to rehydrate the media, creating a ready to use broth in about 30 minutes. Once the media is fully dissolved and ready to be dispensed, it can then be ready within minutes over the course of 5 days allowing the lab flexibility with sample preparation. The ReadyStream® impacts the entire media preparation process by eliminating weighing (in a hood), hotplate mixing, autoclaving, cooling, handling hot glass, pre-heating before use, bottle washing and more. The ReadyStream saves the lab significant time and money in addition to power and resources. There is nothing else on the market that creates a pre-heated, sterile medium stored at room temperature, ready to use at a moment’s notice. The ReadyStream® has modernized the media preparation process.
For more information or to schedule a live demo, visit www.SigmaAldrich.com/ReadyStream or email NABioMFMSupport@MilliporeSigma.com for an exclusive sneak peak of the instrument!
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