Protecting consumer health
The food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are required to control the microbiological quality and composition of their products. The industrial microbiology laboratory tests the sterility of a product (absence of microorganisms) or the absence of pathogenic bacteria (which cause infections), as well as ensuring that commensal bacteria (normally present in man and harmless in small quantities) are only present in quantities under a certain limit. Industrial microbiological controls are therefore performed throughout the production chain from raw materials to finished products, as well as in the manufacturing environment.
bioMérieux provides a broad range of solutions for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries in the fields of food safety, quality control, traceability, as well as sterility controls, water controls and environmental controls.
Below are two examples of industrial requirements for which bioMérieux provides solutions: - Detection of Listeria
Listeria is a small pathogenic bacterium which can be found in dairy products (milk, cheese, …). A person can become infected by eating food contaminated with Listeria. A Listeria infection can cause severe pathologies (meningitis, septicemia) particularly in immunocompromized populations. Testing for Listeria in food products before they reach the consumer market is an example of food safety management.
- Manufacturing sterile products
Strict regulations govern certain products, such as intravenous therapeutic drugs, which must be guaranteed to be sterile before commercialization. Sterility can be guaranteed by performing tests on raw materials, during the production process, and on final products. Rigorous sterility controls provide quality assurance, and safeguard the consumer.
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