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When it comes to DNA purification, there are many DNA test kit options on the market. However, not all DNA kits are created equal. Furthermore, what works well for one setting may be completely wrong for another laboratory workflow. Consider the following factors when selecting a DNA extraction kit:   Quality of reagents. The reagents determine the quality of the results you will get from a DNA extraction kit. Read the technical specifications carefully to determine how cells are lysed and protein degraded. Use of a high-quality wash buffer is especially important to ensure the final purified genomic DNA is...

  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...

Arguably the most important part of any research lab is something many people never think about; pure water.  All laboratories use water for a wide array of essential lab practices. These include preparing media, buffers, cell cultures, sensitive analytical techniques, just to name a few. Pure water is often taken for granted, but water quality is crucial to the outcome of a lab’s research. Impurities in water can cause weeks, even years of research to be called into question. There are three main types of pure water; type I, type II, and type III. Type I water is ultrapure lab...

Biofilms are particularly challenging in the food industry due to their resistance to sanitizers, chemical cleaners and antibiotics. Quorum sensing and EPS (extracellular polymeric substances) are shown to contribute to the formation and resistant qualities of biofilms. What Are Biofilms? In nature, most bacteria do not exist as suspended (planktonic free floating) cells. Bacteria live in a group (a mass of bacterial cells) attached to each other and to surfaces, in a biofilm form. A biofilm is a complex community of microorganisms that are embedded in self-created extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). A biofilm is a complex community of microorganisms that...