The Fraunhofer ICT-IMM Institute and Döhler are developing a microbiological detection method based on microfluidics.
Microbiological safety is a top priority for the food industry.
The quick microbiological validation and approval of products coming from food and
beverage production has an immediate affect on the profitability of the manufacturer.
The cooperation will examine how microfluidic solutions can support beverage manufacturers in detecting microorganisms to ensure that the quality of their products is consistently recorded in the shortest possible amount of time.
Microfluidics is already used in analytics, diagnostics, biotechnology and medical technology. In this, the separation and analysis of ingredients in liquids is one of the fundamental principles.
“To date, this method has not been applied to microbiological examinations in the beverage industry,” says Dr. Sabine Müller, head of product management & sales DMD Microbial Detection Solutions at Döhler.
“The intention of the research conducted together with the Fraunhofer ICT-IMM is to provide beverage manufacturers with an absolutely innovative, reliable and, above all, extremely fast microbiological detection system.”
This research and development project calls for the Fraunhofer Institute to examine the development of an automated process.
The objective of the microfluidics-based process is to detect beverage-spoiling microorganisms in a matter of hours, and not, as is the current state-of-the-art, in several days.
Döhler offers solutions for detecting microorganisms in beverages under its DMD (Döhler Microsafety Design) brand.
