Optimising food and beverage testing with laboratory equipment OHAUS and Capella Science
In the food and beverage industry, laboratories must balance precision, speed and compliance to meet stringent safety and quality standards.
A
s the food industry moves towards
a more sustainable future, initiatives like the European Green Deal, Food 2030, and the Farm to Fork Strategy are redefining standards for food safety, quality and innovation. They are designed to pave the way for a climate-neutral Europe by 2050, emphasising sustainable production, improved nutrition and enhanced food security. While these European initiatives set ambitious goals for sustainability and food system transformation within Europe, similar initiatives in the MEA region such as the Africa Union’s AGENDA 2063, the
Consumption and Production, Climate Action,
million people fall ill, and 420,000 people die,
Life Below Water, Life on Land, and Partnerships
from foodborne illnesses annually. Therefore,
for the Goals). To support these ambitious goals
accurate pathogen detection is essential to provide
within the food and beverage market, accurate
reliable findings and prevent any further growth
and efficient testing throughout the food supply
of these numbers. It is very common to perform
chain is essential.
tests detecting the presence of E. coli, Listeria and
Laboratories play an indispensable role
Salmonella. An effective pathogen test not only
in this effort, providing reliable analyses
includes the preparation of the sample itself, but
for pathogens, nutrient levels and product
also the media dissolution or broth preparation. The
consistency. By leveraging laboratory equipment,
consistent agitation provided by laboratory shakers
companies not only comply with regulatory
ensure that microorganisms grow uniformly,
requirements, but also enhance quality control,
minimising false negatives and improving lab
improve workplace safety, streamline operations
efficiency, while using hotplate stirrers may also
and boost overall productivity.
be beneficial during media preparation. bacteria presents one method of preparing
at least 11 goals (No Poverty, Zero Hunger,
The importance of pathogen detection in food safety
Good Health and Well-Being, Clean Water and
One of the fundamental tests in food production
mixing is done on the Extreme Environment
Sanitation, Decent Work and Economic Growth,
is pathogen detection and microbial analysis.
Shaker within specific conditions (37°C, 200
Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible
Researchers have revealed that nearly 600
rpm). However, the preparation of microbial
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), National Food Security Strategy 2051 in the UAE, and Saudi Vision 2030 address local challenges related to food security, climate resilience and economic development. All of the above-mentioned initiatives are aiming to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined by the United Nations, among which the food industry has its role in
OHAUS’s laboratory protocol for isolating
6 | LAB+LIFE SCIENTIST - October/November 2025
bacteria colonies for tests, during which sample
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