For more than 60 years, schuett-biotec GmbH has developed and produced top-quality laboratory technology carrying the "Made in Germany" seal of quality. Today, the company primarily specializes in manufacturing devices for biotechnology, microbiology, life sciences and cell culture. In addition to inoculation loop sterilizers, safety Bunsen burners for all kinds of annealing applications and roller incubators for cell cultures, the vast product portfolio from schuett-biotec features numerous custom solutions designed to make laboratory work easier. One shining example is the automated “colonyQuant” colony counter on show at LABVOLUTION 2019, which is due to receive a new software upgrade in time for the fair to modernize the user interface, offer automatic analysis options and ensure conformity with the FDA requirements in Title 21 CFR Part 11.

According to schuett-biotec, "colonyQuant" is tailored to the exact needs of a 21st-century microbiological laboratory. The software, for example, is designed to be user-friendly and count up to 1,000 colonies on different types of agar and nutrient disks in a matter of seconds. The key advantages this system offers include the option to quickly switch between saved methods, for example from colonies on agar in petri dishes to spiral plating or inhibition zone analysis. Colonies as small as 0.05 mm can be differentiated in terms of color, shape and size. The system can also count mixed cultures with up to eight colors simultaneously. What's more, a high-grade autofocus/autozoom 4k camera provides high-resolution live imaging, with cutting-edge LED light technology including a UV light source placing agar plates and nutrient disks in a high-contrast light that ensures color fidelity. As an added bonus, the device features an appealing design and compact footprint. The GLP-compliant “colonyQuant” is portable and allows users to choose between a German or English-language interface.