Faster Microbiology Testing with TEMPO Technology

Date: 9 May 2018
Author: Hill Laboratories

Food poisoning is a major concern in New Zealand. In 2015 there were 221 commercial food operator and 146 restaurant/café/bakery cases of food poisoning confirmed nationwide (ESR, Annual-Foodborne-Disease-Report-2015). To prevent food poisoning, food manufacturers are required to test for spoilage organisms and pathogens, and know which type and how many food spoilage organisms there are in a product, on production surfaces, and in the factory environment.

Traditionally, testing of spoilage organisms is done manually, using agar plates or culture tubes. As part of our commitment to innovation, Hill Laboratories has invested in TEMPO technology, a semi-automated MPN method, which increases the speed of testing. Our TEMPO instrument has been extensively tested and validated for use with a wide range of sample types. In addition, the method is also AOAC and AFNOR/ISO approved giving further confidence in the accuracy and repeat-ability of the results.

TEMPO has a threefold advantage: the sample preparation is automated; samples are tracked and coded in the instrument so full traceability is available; and the results are returned 1-2 days faster than traditional methods. Quality indicators counted routinely are: Total Count, Coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus, Yeasts & Moulds and Lactic Acid Bacteria. All of these organisms can be counted reliably and efficiently using the TEMPO at Hill Laboratories.