3M Food Safety announced today the availability of software enhancements to its 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader, a popular peripheral device that serves as an automated alternative to the more time-consuming task of manually counting and documenting colonies of bacteria on 3M Petrifilm Plates indicator tests. The new 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader software version 4.0 now automates the imaging, interpretation and data mapping of the 3M Petrifilm Rapid Aerobic Count Plate, which debuted last year as a novel 24-hour test. In addition, this release also makes functionality for the 3M Petrifilm Enterobacteriaceae Count Plate and 3M Petrifilm Select E. coli Count Plate globally available.
The software upgrades are part of 3M’s continued effort to increase efficiency and reduce costs within food safety labs globally, as well as, improve the documentation and traceability of their indicator testing results. Traceability has drawn increasing attention in legislative and regulatory discussions around the world due to the globalization of the food supply chain and its critical role in protecting public health. Multiple laws – including the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act – either focus on or contain elements specifically addressing the issue.