Our “pathogen” kits

Certain categories of low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages are particularly vulnerable to fecal or environmental contamination, especially when they are minimally pasteurized or unpasteurized, or contain fresh, unsterilized ingredients.Even in highly secure or quality-certified production lines, the presence of pathogens such as E. coli or Enterococcus, even in very low concentrations, poses a major health risk for several reasons:Rapid multiplication effect: a bacterial cell can divide every 20 to 30 minutes under favorable conditions (pH>4, room or high temperature, available sugars, etc.), transforming an initial trace into effective contamination in just a few hours.Misleading stability of non-alcoholic/low-alcohol products: these beverages are often stored at room temperature, in closed containers, without strong preservatives or pasteurization. This creates an environment conducive to the silent growth of pathogenic microorganisms.Risk to sensitive consumers: tolerance thresholds are zero tolerance for these pathogens in many jurisdictions (FDA, EU, etc.). A single detection can lead to batch withdrawal, a health alert, etc., with significant consequences for consumer health, financial damage, and brand image.AnalysesEarly and systematic microbiological screening for pathogens is essential in non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages because natural barriers to contamination are weak or absent.Test upstream of production to:Prevent invisible contaminants from entering the chainSecure bulk supplies or supplies from local/artisan producersReduce dependence on preservativesWhen to analyze:Upon receipt of batches of water, fruit juice, liquid plant extracts, infusionsOn liquid ingredients added after filtration or pasteurizationAnalyze during production to:Monitor stages without heat treatmentPrevent recontamination after fermentationAvoid silent degradation during bottling or storageAdapt hygiene practices if a point of contamination is identifiedWhen to analyze:On unpasteurized beverages after mixing or fermentationAfter cold additions (syrup, flavors, plant extracts, liquid mixed fruits)To control deviations (flocculation, pressure, cloudiness, etc.)Analyze before packaging (release test) to:Release a batch on an objective microbiological basisEnsure export/mass distribution compliancePrevent post-marketing health alertsWhen to analyze:Just before bottling or canningOn intermediate storage tanksAnalyze on finished product to:Control microbiological stability (particularly for beverages without preservatives)Extend product shelf life on a scientific basisWhen to analyze:Routinely at different stages of the product's life cycle (D+7, D+30, etc.)In the event of a change in recipe or the addition of sensitive ingredientsIn the event of a report or quality concernTechnical specificationsTargetsEscherichia coli (RNA)Enterococcus (RNA)Internal controlDelivered resultsQuantification of active cells (RNA)​Results presentationQuantification:Ct (cycle threshold),GU (genomic Units),CFU/mL (colony forming unit)Protocols and samplesHigh sensitivity: 100mLDetection thresholds1 cell/mL1 cell/mLPackaging25 unit tests:Box 1: 25 PCR mix unit tubesBox 2: 25 lysis buffer unit tubesBox 3: 25 internal control tubesStorage and preservationPCR mix: -20°CLysis buffer: room temperatureControl yeast: room temperatureConsumables required for the protocol2 mL sample filters100 mL sample filtersChips for Chronos thermal cyclerEquipment required for the protocolMicroWave Lyser (œnobiote)MicroWave Lyser support (œnobiote)Mini-vortexMini-centrifugeP100 micropipetteP1000 micropipetteFiltration ramp + pumpCompatible thermal cyclersChronos (œnobiote)CFX Opus 96 (Bio-rad)Pikoreal (Thermofisher)MyGroPro