BacTrac 4300 Microbiological Impedance Analyser 

With 64 individual measurement positions and 2 different temperature zones per instrument BacTrac can deal with almost all tasks the microbiologist is familiar with from the classical agar plate.

  • The BacTrac measuring technology is based on the proprietary patented Impedance Splitting Technology  thus enabling the enourmous flexibility of the technology.
  • The BacTrac 4300 is user friendly and is ideally suited to the challenges posed by long-term use. The individual measurement positions can be used independently whenever samples are available to be tested. Newly inserted samples will be recognized and analysed automatically according to the parameters set by the user.
  • The entire measuring cycle is automatic and the results are permanently recorded to a central database. Barcode readers and a central LIMS can be connected. The BacWin operation and evaluation software is easy to understand and operate.
  • The BacTrac techology is an internationaly highly accepted and proven technology. It is successfully in operation in food and food ingredients, water, as well as pharamceutical- and cosmetics industries. It also plays a leading role in the official food hygiene monitoring in various countries.
  • With BacTrac almost all the microbiological routine applications will be covered. It can be used for sterility testing, TAMC enumeration as well as testing for index and indicator microbes and to detect microbial pathogens. Thus it is the most versatile automated rapid method currently available on the market.
  • The scope of applications is not limited to any matrix and therefore users can refer to a wide catalogue of routine protocols. 

 

 

 

BacTrac 4300


Downloads


› BacTrac Brochure (PDF 1.1 M )
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› Flyer Cosmetics ISO 17516 (PDF 1.2 M )
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› Flyer Cosmetics (PDF 1.2 M )
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Advantages of BacTrac 4300

Results in a few hours
earlier product release
Simple Testing
Automated Calculation of Results
Reduced workload
automated documentation

Technology

BacTrac Measurement Principle

Microorganisms are detected in real time via the decrease of the impedance in an AC field. Any impedance change caused by the microbial metabolism is detected.

In the BacTrac devices a proprietary impedance splitting technology is employed. Usind this technology the change in the impedance of the electrochemical double layer of the electrode is additionally registered beside the  standard impedance signal ( Media Impedance = M- value ).

This so-called electrode impedance (E - value ) requires the use of cells with 4 electrodes and has proven itself for the detection of pathogens as well as for the detection of microbes with low metabolic activity mainly known to be members of the group of gram-positive, heat- tolerant spore formers. The latter are sometimes hardly detected by other automated cultural  procedures.

The BacTrac devices are the only impedance devices that are equipped with the high resolution impedance - splitting technology worldwide

Software

Get to know our brilliant software for BacTrac 4300

  • Features
  • Requirements
  • Comprises BacMonitor and BacEval measuring and data evaluation software for Windows 7, WIN-8.1 and WIN-10. Traditional Windows menu functionality easy to understand and operate without extensive training.

    Real Time Results - Color Coded Alerts

    • Time already expired from start of the measurement is displayed in the form of a pie chart for every position.
    • For ongoing measurements the pie chart appears in blue
    • As soon as the developing growth signal will reach the threshold, detection time will be recorded. If the color code alert mode has been activated the chart will turn the color to red or yellow depending on the limits defined for the individual position. Negative samples or those with results within specification will be marked green.

     Database Functions

    • Database with open access to LIMS via ODBC
    • automated backup option
    • mirrored database for maximised data safety (i.e. during power fail)
    • immediate data saving during every measurement round
    • safe against manipulation using several password levels

     Specifics

    • automated re-start after power- or PC fail
    • unlimited compatibility to former BacWin-versions
    • Data export to many MS Office applications
    • customize reports to your needs
    • extensice plausibility checks of measurement signals
  • Hardware requirements

    • Personal Computer actual model
    • WIN-XPP, WIN 7, WIN 8
    • 1 GHz 32 or 64 Bit processor
    • > 1 GB RAM
    • min. 3 USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports 
    • CD or DVD drive
    • actual grafic card
    • Ethernet or WLAN port
    • 19'' Monitor
    • Color Printer
    • Barcode scanners supported

The areas of BacTrac 4300

Available tests & FAQs

Hygene indicators

  • Total aerobic mesophilic counts (TMAC)
  • Enterobacteriaceae
  • Coliforms
  • E.coli
  • Yeasts and Moulds
  • Pseudomonades
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Enterococci

Pathogenes

  • Salmonella
  • Listeria
  • Cronobacter
  • Coagulase positive Staphylococci
  • Bacillus cereus

Special areas

  • Clostridia
  • Sterility Tests
  • Lactic acid bacteria
  • Osmotolerant Yeasts
  • Aerobic sporeformers
  • Sulfite reducing Clostridia
  • Clostridium perfringens
  • Activity testing
  • Desinfectant efficacy testing
  • ISO 17516 spec. microbes

DIN, §64 LFBG, ÖNORM —

  • DIN 10115: General Standard
  • DIN 10120: Detection of Salmonella in Foods
  • —DIN 10122: Enumeration of total mesophilic aerobic counts

AFNOR —

  • NF V08-105: General Standard
  • NF V08-106: Enumeration of E.coli in shellfish
The BacTrac 4300 Microbiological Analyser uses the unique impedance-splitting technology and measures the M-value (media impedance) and E-value (electrode impedance) giving a big variety of possible analyses. Each device contains two individually thermostated incubators for 32 samples each, which can accommodate either disposable or reusable measuring cells. Up to 12 units (768 wells, 24 incubators) can be controlled by one PC. The µ-Trac 4200 is appropriate for smaller laboratories and measures only the M-value. This incubator provides 21 measuring positions suitable for disposable cells only. The µ-Trac is designed to operate with a laptop as a single incubator.
The BacTrac 4300 is registering 2 specific impedance values for each single measurement. These values are displayed as M-value (media impedance) and Evalue (electrode impedance) graphs (displayed as relative changes compared to a starting value) and are based on the Impedance Splitting Method as the measurement principle. This opens the possibility to evaluate the results based on two different signals.
The proprietary impedance splitting measurement technology of the BacTrac instruments enables even the use of nutrient media with higher conductivity and therefore significantly broadens the possible applications. In addition to the M-value, changes of the E-value (electrode impedance) will be registered within the impedance splitting concept. For registration of the electrode impedance value the capacitive component of the complex impedance value Z (influence of the electrochemical double layer of the electrode) is of central importance. The technique to measure this electrode impedance value is a special characteristic of the BacTrac measurement technology. The E-value is not significantly influenced by the composition of the growth media and is therefore of central importance when media with high salt content (i.e. addition of salts as selective components for the detection of pathogens) will be used.
Yes, there are standards for impedance in Austria, C.I.S., France, Germany and the U.K. For details please see our website www.sylab.com
After a product-specific validation impedance technology complies with the Pharm. Eur.
All data generated by the BacTrac is saved to a database on the hard disk of the PC at the moment the measurement takes place. From this database all measurements can be recalled with the BacEval Software anytime. Additionally results can be printed in colour and exported to other programs like MS Excel(TM).
Yes. The germ counts are calculated automatically from the detection times of the impedance curves by the BacWin-Software. To do so it is necessary to establish a correlation between BacTrac and plate counts or another counting method. An already available calibration curve can be used under the same conditions after a check against the reference method has been made.
Besides the direct measurement of impedance in the nutrient broth, the detection of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced via the microbial metabolism provides an additional option of recording the activity levels of microorganisms. In this process the impedance change is not detected directly in the nutrient, rather it is the change in impedance of a potassium hydroxide solution caused by the uptake of the CO2 formed that is detected. The indirect impedance measurement represents a rapid and very simple process with pronounced higher sensitivity for the detection of CO2 production. For the detection of yeasts and moulds in particular, whose changes occasionally are hardly registered in the direct method, the indirect method is far superior.
All aerobic proliferating micro-organisms produce CO2 as the terminal product of cell metabolism and are therefore suitable for detection with the indirect method.
Depending on the microorganisms to be analysed the time saved due to use of the BacTrac varies from 12 hours for coliforms to several days for yeasts and moulds, clostridia and beer spoiling bacteria. Furthermore it is not necessary to make dilutions after sample homogenisation and to poor plates and count colonies. Please contact SY-LAB for further details.
Many different kinds of bacteria - like TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Salmonella, Listeria and Clostridia - and yeasts and moulds can be detected with the BacTrac. Basically there have to be living cells in the measuring cell to give an impedance signal. Therefore the detection limit for liquid samples is usually 1 / ml and for solid samples 10 / g. If a pre-enrichment is done the presence in 10 g or 25 g can be tested. In combination with membrane-filter technology e.g. 100 ml of water or lemonade can be analysed.