Growth media preparation is the cornerstone of any microbiology lab. Not having the media you need when you need it—because someone forgot to start a batch or one failed—creates a log jam that knocks everything off schedule for days. This is especially the case in food safety, monitoring, and quality assurance, where having the right media ready on time can make or break your safety testing workflow.

A lab manager at Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories (EML), in Southern California, witnessed first-hand how media preparation became a bottleneck in its microbiology lab when using too small an autoclave. It restricted their ability to produce large batches of media on any given day.

To alleviate the problem, two years ago Eurofins purchased its first Priorclave steam autoclave. The larger chamber allowed EML to produce larger batches of media. Other reasons behind the selection this autoclave brand was programming simplicity, it was easy to navigate for upcoming media technicians. Also, it had a proven history for reliability.

Prior to the Priorclave autoclave installation, EML would often have to run multiple cycles a day or prioritise urgent media to cope with these issues. Running multiple cycles resulted in frequent maintenance and repairs to the smaller sterilisers. Now, with the Q63 Priorclave autoclave installed, the lab has been able to streamline its processes and better organise the workflow.

When Priorclave launched the Q63 front-loading cylindrical chamber autoclave range it provided laboratory managers with a truly viable alternative to large, more costly rectangular chamber autoclaves, yet capable of delivering the same sterilising throughput.

Chamber size has a major influence on autoclave selection therefore Priorclave designed the Q63 with a taller profile than that found in most ‘cylindrical’ machines. It gave these autoclaves an impressive load capacity ideally suited to sterilising larger bulky items as well as enabling small and taller items to be sterilised in a single process. The increase loading capacity comes from the 400litre chambers, which has a diameter of 630mm and depth of 1200mm.

The build quality of front loading Q63 laboratory autoclaves is enhanced by epoxy coating panels and frame members with an anti-bacterial agent that is highly effective and permanent treatment for control of harmful bacteria. It makes surfaces cleaner, more hygienic and provides durable lifelong protection against the threat of cross contamination. This tough special epoxy finish will reduce bacterial growth by up to 99.99% and is highly effective against MRSA, E.coli, Listeria, Legionella, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Pseudomonas and over fifty other species.

Paulyn Medrano, lab lead at Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories commented, “We were able to reduce the multiple cycles that we had to run on certain days, it allowed us to create a schedule that consistently produced media without worry of prioritising certain media. Media techs that had used our older autoclaves, mentioned that the Priorclave autoclave was easier to use and dependable in comparison to others.”

So successful it helping Eurofins streamline and improve their media preparation processes, they have now purchased and installed a second autoclave from Priorclave, further reducing gridlock in their lab and easing strain on their media department.

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