For food manufacturers operating high‑throughput laboratories, reliable and timely pathogen testing is essential to ensure product safety and maintain operational continuity. At apetito UK, a leading manufacturer of frozen pre‑packed meals for the healthcare sector, laboratory results directly determine product release timelines. As Austin Allen, Lab Supervisor at apetito UK, explains: “All products are positive released by the lab, so it’s vital that we get accurate testing results input into our system as quickly as possible.”
From VIDAS® 30 to VIDAS® KUBE™ Technology for greater flexibility, reliability and efficiency.
Historically, the laboratory relied on the legacy VIDAS® 30 system for routine presence/absence testing of key pathogens including Salmonella and Listeria. With daily volumes reaching 100 to 120 samples, and up to 30% requiring VIDAS® assays, apetito needed a robust and future‑proof solution, particularly with the end‑of‑support for older VIDAS® platforms approaching.
After evaluation, the team selected VIDAS® KUBE™ in 2024: “All the technicians were already using the VIDAS® system, and the workflow hadn’t fundamentally changed. It was a no‑brainer,” says Austin Allen, Lab Supervisor at apetito UK for 22 years.
apetito has installed three VIDAS® KUBE™ units, immediately benefiting from the system’s modular design. Unlike single‑unit platforms, each VIDAS® KUBE™ operates independently, significantly reducing the impact of downtime. “If we had an issue with the VIDAS® 30, the whole unit could be out of action. Now, we can isolate a single VIDAS® KUBE™ and still use the others. That’s absolutely amazing,” Allen notes.
Additional advantages include improved usability through a modern touchscreen interface, color‑coded assay indicators, integrated camera controls to prevent common errors, and the elimination of time‑consuming monthly quality control verification tasks. “No QCV is a big bonus, it was something that had to be done monthly, and it kind of got in the way of processing. Getting rid of that has been great”; Allen adds.
For apetito UK, VIDAS® KUBE™ represents a reliable and efficient upgrade, enhancing flexibility, reducing downtime, and reinforcing confidence in routine pathogen detection
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