VWMS ColiMinder
Automated Microbiological Monitoring of Process Water
-
Online measurement of microbiological contamination in process water
-
Fast and fully automatic, 15 minutes time to result
-
1,000 measurements without reagent refill
Try Before You Buy
We can bring the ColiMinder to your site for a demonstration or a short term trial. Please contact us if you would like to arrange this.
Revolutionary Detection of Microbiological Contamination
Traditionally, the detection of harmful microorganisms in water has been a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. The ColiMinder changes everything by providing rapid and accurate on-line detection of microbiological contamination. Using advanced sensing mechanisms and cutting-edge algorithms it detects the presence of Enterococci, E. coli and Total Activity, in real-time. With its high sensitivity and specificity, the ColiMinder provides a reliable and efficient method to ensure products meet the most stringent quality standards.
Water quality can fluctuate due to various factors, including source contamination or issues during the bottling process. The ColiMinder offers continuous monitoring capabilities, providing early warning of any irregularities or potential issues in real-time.
Parameters – E. coli, Enterococci and Total Activity
Measurement Method
The ColiMinder measures the specific enzymatic activity of the target organisms present in the sample. The measured enzymatic activity is a scientifically defined parameter and correlates directly with the amount of organisms present in the sample, only living organisms express enzymes but not only cultivable organisms do so. The measured activity directly indicates the microbiological quality of the water.
ColiMinder revolutionizes the way you can monitor critical control points in beverage production by enabling an on-line monitoring of any process step. The measurement timeline feature shows any shifts in microbial contamination, delivering precise and invaluable insights that were previously out of reach. With ColiMinder, microbiological water quality is now a key parameter for process control, as results that are available in real time.
Monitoring Reverse Osmosis Plants
Austria’s biggest food producer uses the ColiMinder to monitor the integrity of the Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants.
Having faced recurring issues with increased contamination of water produced water after RO, ColiMinder was installed to fully automatically monitor final RO water of each RO bulk. The second sample intake is used for measuring grab samples from other process steps.
As a result they now know immediately whether RO plants are working properly and can react promptly on probable RO failures or malfunctions.
Benefits:
- Early warning to avoid secondary process contamination
- Cost savings in RO operation
- Increased production safety
- Helping to fulfil GMP in food production
Auotomated Alerts
Additionally, you receive instant alerts when predefined microbiological contamination thresholds are surpassed. ColiMinder reliably identifies all forms of contamination, from bacteria like E. coli and coliforms to Pseudomonas, as well as algae, mold, yeast, and biofilm. To further enhance reliability and stability in sampling and results, we offer a range of add-on modules. Plus, alongside automatic monitoring, the option to introduce grab samples is also available.
The measured enzymatic activity of the sample provides a direct answer to the question: “how high is the microbiological contamination of the sample?”. Depending on the reagent used, the measurement results are specific for the corresponding target organism. The results not only provide direct quantitative information about the microbial contamination of the sample, but shape and course of the measurement timeline also contain valuable information about the dynamics of the microbiological load and thus allow conclusions to be drawn about the causes of changes.
Monitoring Process Water
An Austrian manufacturer uses the ColiMinder to fully automatically monitor the process water used for the pasteurization of cans. This is done after a line of several pasteurization units in a row with one of the two sample intakes. The other sample intake is used for measuring grab samples from other process steps. This setting helps the customer to decide on intensity of biocide dosing and percentage of re-use of the water used for pasteurization.
Benefits:
- Cost savings in biocide treatment by adjusting dosing to actual need
- Cost savings through increased percentage of water reuse
- Early warning to avoid secondary process contamination
- Increased production, worker and product safety
- Helping to fulfil GMP in food production
Reliability
The reliability of the ColiMinder has been demonstrated in several installations where the devices have been providing reliable measurement results in continuous operation since 2015. Thanks to the sophisticated system for fully automatic cleaning and calibration, the maintenance effort is limited to refilling the consumables. Replacement of the silicone hoses is recommended every other year, no further maintenance is required.
