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SPRING 2007

The NEW Fisher Cleanroom Catalog Fisher Scientific is a leading provider of cleanroom, scientific and occupational HIGHLIGHTS safety products and services. We deliver cost savings and custom-tailored solutions k Really counting calories, using a “bomb” from IKA in production, controlled environment, k QA with the same bug every time—lyophilized microorganisms from MicroBioLogics research and safety settings. Measuring Calories in Food: the Bomb Calorimeter By Kai-Oliver Linde, IKA-Works, Inc.

Did you ever wonder how the “calories” BTU-value. (BTU-value is more common on your favorite food labels are deter- in the U.S.A.) Note: The term “bomb” mined? How did they know that seven is misleading, but it is the most com- pretzels equate to 130 calories, or that monly used description for this kind one cup of herbal tea will cost you two of equipment. We will use the term calories? There are actually a number “decomposition vessel” instead of of different ways to calculate the bomb from this point on. amount of calories in food. The Combustion Process Measuring Calories About 1g of solid or liquid matter (food) The most commonly used method is weighed in a crucible and placed for food labeling is to determine the inside a stainless-steel container (the amount of each component in the “decomposition vessel”) filled with 30 food (i.e., proteins, fats, carbohydrates, bar (435psi) of oxygen. Next, the alcohol, organic acids) and add up the sample is ignited through a cotton amounts of energy for each component. thread connected to an ignition wire One of the main procedures to calculate inside the decomposition vessel and these values, the “4-9-4 Method,” was burned (combusted). developed by Professor W.O. Atwater. During combustion, the core tempera- More detailed information about this ture in the crucible can rise up to procedure can be found at the U.S. What is a Bomb Calorimeter? 1000°C (1800°F), and the pressure Department of Agriculture Web site, A bomb calorimeter is used to Derived from the Latin terms calor rises for a short period of time to www.usda.gov. meaning “heat” and metron meaning measure the heat created by a approximately 200 bar (2900psi), The concept itself is simple, but how do “measure,” a calorimeter is simply an sample burned under an oxygen or sometimes even higher. All organic we know the amount of energy or the instrument used to measure the heat of matter is burned under these condi- number of calories contained in each something. There are many different atmosphere in a closed vessel. tions, and oxidized. Inorganic matter component? To answer that question, types of calorimeters available on the (minerals) will be oxidized; often, even we will begin by defining “calorie.” Short market. IKA manufactures the so-called vitrification takes place. The heat A bomb calorimeter is used to measure and sweet: one calorie is the amount of “bomb” or “combustion” calorimeter. created during the burning process the heat created by a sample burned heat needed to increase the temperature Other types of calorimeters include can be determined in different ways. under an oxygen atmosphere in a of 1kg (or 1L) of water from 14.5°C Solution Calorimeters, Differential closed vessel (bomb), which is sur- to 15.5°C. With the help of a bomb Scanning Calorimeters (DSC), Titration rounded by water, under controlled calorimeter, the actual amount of energy Calorimeters, Gas Calorimeters and conditions. The measurement result is produced by food if oxidized (burned) Reaction Calorimeters. called the Combustion-, Calorific- or completely can be measured. Continued on back cover

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Lyophilization: Monitoring and Improving Your Lab’s QA Program By RaNae Alcorn, Director of Marketing, MicroBioLogics, Inc.

Lyophilized Microorganism MicroBioLogics, are food process ® Preparations controls that are manufactured to MicroBioLogics is a leading producer of lyophilized microorganisms, supplying deliver a predetermined assay value microbiology labs worldwide for over 35 years. Their extensive product line In order to obtain accurate and reliable for qualitative or quantitative daily includes over 3,000 items and more than 600 different strains. An ISO:9001 analytical results, many food-testing process controls. EZ-SPORE™ certified company, MicroBioLogics is currently in the process of becoming laboratories use special tools and lyophilized spore preparations are ISO:17025 certified. technologies to augment their quality enumerated products that are manufac- assurance systems. Lyophilized micro- tured to deliver a predetermined assay organism preparations have become value. The known value of these prod- an integral part of QA programs at ucts allows the lab to challenge and many leading U.S. laboratories. As For Ultra-Quick document its internal proficiency, opposed to aging reference cultures, external proficiency, an analyst’s Temperature Changes! lyophilizing microorganism preparations proficiency, reproducible control limits TM can provide more reproducible results. Thermo Scientific Neslab Refrigerated Circulators of a test method’s accuracy, and its “The key attribute of the lyophilized ability to detect or enumerate specified pellet is that it provides a verifiable indi- With Neslab Circulators, target organisms in a food sample. cator of the lab’s process, specifically high cooling capacities whether the facility is meeting estab- According to Dr. Smoot, the pellets are allow for fast temperature lished QA standards,” states Dr. Michele valuable for daily process monitoring. changes. Precise tempera- Smoot, Director of Microbiology at “In using these quantitative pellets, ture stability (±0.01°C) Silliker Group Corp., the leading interna- each with a known value, we’re able provides repeatable results. tional network of ISO:17025 accredited to consistently recover specified levels State-of-the-art controller food testing and consulting laboratories. of target organisms and we use this technology ensures that the information to establish statistical The Lyophilization Method units perform at peak when process control charts, which is a necessary, and save energy First, all of the liquid is removed from significant benefit. If we don’t recover during lower demand. the microorganism by freeze-drying, the specified level, it tells us that and the microbes are then converted something is wrong with the process into pellet form. Next, the lyophilized and we need to investigate the problem You can find this and other Thermo Scientific Neslab products microorganisms are carried in a gelatin to maintain quality assurance standards. at www.fishersci.com. Search term: Neslab Circulators. casing—consisting of skim milk, dex- I like to refer to the pellets as ‘daily trose, and ascorbic acid—to protect the process control samples’ versus microorganisms by preserving the cell ‘positive controls.’ We use the latter wall. Charcoal is used to neutralize any to verify media and so on, but these toxic substances that were formed pellets help us to monitor our actual ACCURATE during the freeze drying process. The process on a daily basis.” IDENTIFICATION lyophilized pellets are used as reference Providing Confidence in TM stock cultures, enumerated products, Remel RapID Identification Systems Quality Assurance process controls, and various proficiency challenges in food microbiology labs Lyophilized microorganisms provide to document the lab’s quality assurance laboratories with confidence in their program. Their long shelf life in refriger- processes and quality assurance ated temperatures allows for easy and programs, which is important in the safe storage. Though lyophilization safety of food products. Food process can be done in any lab, the process controls provide the dependability and of producing stable, reliable and fully reliability that food laboratories need to RapID provides accurate identification based on easy-to-read documented preparations is time meet the requirements of their quality color reactions. Identify Staphylococci, Streptococci, consuming and expensive. assurance programs as well as to gram-negative bacilli, gram-positive bacilli, and yeast. ensure the health of consumers. Common, one-step inoculation. Four-hour, aerobic incubation for Food Process Controls all systems. Use with ERIC®, a Windows®-based database. For more information about Food process control pellets are used these types of products, visit for quality assurance programs in food www.microbiologics.com or To order this product, contact your Fisher Scientific microbiology labs. EZ-FPC™, from contact your Fisher Scientific Customer Service Representative at 1-800-766-7000. sales representative.

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Measuring Calories in Food: the Bomb Calorimeter Continued from front cover

Physical and Physiological Since your body does not burn Calorific Value food in exactly the same way as the decomposition vessel, the result After calibrating the decomposition ves- measured is higher than the reality. sel with a substance of a known heat, The body does not digest certain we know how much heat is necessary to components like fibers, and we also heat up the water by 1°C. After that, the need a certain quantity of energy to food will be burned and the unit displays actually digest the food. Other parts the amount of energy inside the food are transferred into fat and stored sample in units of calories, J, or BTU inside our bodies. Hence, it is a far per gram. This is the physical calorific Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 more complex process. Additionally, value. All elements that compose the some of us have to work out hard to food are burned/oxidized. Hydrogen to actually burn some calories, while (Figure 1) A vessel filled with water To measure the temperature inside the water, carbon to carbon dioxide, nitrogen others have such a well-running (inner vessel) surrounds the decom- water, very sensitive, high-resolution will react to nitric acid, minerals will be metabolism that they seem to burn position vessel. temperature sensors are used. oxidized, etc. the food on the spot, as they eat it. (Figure 2) The heat created by the Decomposition vessels can be operated Some food samples burn better inside In order to get the physiological combustion process is transferred in a variety of different modes. The the calorimeter than others. (In fact, calorific value of the food burned into the surrounding water. “adiabatic,” “isoperibol,” “isotherm,” some burn too fast!) It is sometimes inside the calorimeter, further or “dynamic” modes are the most necessary to determine the best possi- corrections are necessary. With (Figure 3) To ensure that the heat common. These modes describe the ble application in order to optimize and animal food, for example, scientists created during combustion does not working principles of the calorimeter control the burning process. Therefore measure the food (input), and the get out of the system or heat gets into in terms of the temperature control a variety of methods and combustion animal’s feces and urine (output) the system from the environment (room between the inner and outer vessel aids can be used, including pressing to determine how effective certain temperature changes), another water- surrounding the decomposition vessel. pellets, PE-bags, acetobutyrate, gelatin types of food are for the animal. filled outer vessel is used as insulation. capsules, combustible crucibles, etc. In this manner, food can be opti- For more information on bomb calorimeters, visit www.oxygenbombcalorimeter.com. mized for better results. See www.fishersci.com for IKA products such as the IKA 2000 Analytical Calorimeter (14-505-131).

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