Automated Microbiological Monitoring of Water
The VWMS ColiMinder monitors water for Enterococci and E. coli with results in 15 minutes
Online measurement of microbiological contamination
Fast and fully automatic
Results in 15 minutes
1,000 measurements between reagent refills
Soft Drinks Automated Microbiology
Traditionally, the detection of harmful microorganisms in water used for the manufacture of soft drinks 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 bottled water meets the most stringent quality standards.
Water Quality
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
Try Before You Buy
The ColiMinder is available for a demonstration or a short term trial.
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ColiMinder in the Laboratory
Project
A multinational beverage bottling company installed the ColiMinder in the quality control laboratory at one of their sites in Germany. The instrument would initially be validated for lab use first and then rolled out into process monitoring.
Solution
The lab team used the ColiMinder to measure samples from throughout the process including raw water intakes, CIP rinsing water and final products. The ColiMinder results became part of the internal quality testing protocols.
Benefits:
- Increased product safety
- 50% of manual lab tests have been replaced by ColiMinder measurements: savings in cost, staff and lab waste
- More time was available for more detailed manual lab tests
Soft Drinks Water Production
Project
A global soft drink producer faced recurring microbiological problems within the water production process at one of their production sites. Every 3 weeks the entire plant had to be shut down for a CIP, but problems returned after 2-3 weeks of production.
Solution
The ColiMinder was installed and is used to measure microbiological activity in different points at the producers bottling plant. With a 15 minute time to result, it only took 1 day to locate the contamination hotspots within the process. The ColiMinder Total Activity measurements are much more sensitive than the HPC tests used by the quality lab to determine CFU/ml. All HPC tests of measurements had showed 0 CFU/ml.
Benefits:
The installation of the ColiMinder resulted in increased production safety. It also provided real-time process feedback to ensure process integrity and, if necessary, adjustment of process parameters.
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.
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
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.
