What are the best control strategies?
Prevention is key….Biofilms form in wet environments in the presence of nutrients. Once the biofilm forms, cleaning food and food contact surfaces becomes more difficult due to formation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Prevention of biofilm formation, using regularly scheduled cleaning and disinfectant protocols is an important first step in preventing cells from attaching and forming biofilms on surfaces.
High temperature washing can reduce the need for the physical force required to remove biofilms. Chemical cleaners suspend and dissolve food residues by decreasing surface tension, emulsifying fats and denaturing proteins. The manner in which cleansing agents remove EPS associated with biofilms is not fully understood at this time.
IBI Scientific manufactures Convertible flow cells for the real-time growth and study of biofilms. IBI Convertible Flow cells can be used with standard light microscopes or confocal laser microscopes to build a 3D image of the Biofilm.
IBI Convertible flow cells have a removable cover which allows the researcher to place a material or appliance inside the flow cell growth chamber and expose it to bacterial cells and biofilm growth. This provides insight to materials that resist the formation of biofilms thus aiding in the critical first step of biofilm prevention.
The Convertible Flow cell cover also contains a septum for easy injection of bacterial cells or other reagents intended to halt the growth or formation of the biofilm. Downstream effluent can also be captured for the study of expression characteristics of a particular biofilm.
IBI convertible flow cell systems come packaged sterile and are intended for one-time use only. Sold as complete systems with all of the necessary peristaltic pump tubing and flow tubing or sold as individual sterile cells only.
