LIMS Benefits Beverage Sector

Portable, handheld computing devices are becoming more common in industries around the world, and laboratories are beginning to see the relevance of these devices, which can offer quick and secure access to data from any location, not just the physical laboratory. More and more laboratories are looking for technological support of mobile devices, and laboratory users are seeking the freedom to access data and LIMS functionality from anywhere within their laboratory—and beyond. LIMS-on-Demand and cloud computing functionality for such devices are predicted as the next big steps in LIMS technology.

International food and beverage companies require traceability within every step of the testing process. Reinforcement of the role of bar codes within this system is an important component of workflow for Bacardi, because bar codes can play a significant role in providing this traceability. Bar codes help to manage every sample that passes through the system, regardless of sequence.

Coping with Change

LIMS are designed to cope with changes in laboratory workflows and customer infrastructure customization. By developing systems that are user configurable, the approach allows the laboratory to cope with changes in methods, regulations, and customer demands.

The current political focus on food safety means that regulations are one of the most rapidly changing areas for the laboratory. For example, the U.S. Food Safety Enhancement Act places new demands on labs carrying out food testing for the U.S. market. New legal requirements for inspections, traceability, and certification mean that organizations need to be able to demonstrate complete control over their analytical process. Doing so without recourse to the built-in security, traceability, and control mechanism within the LIMS will be a challenging prospect.

LIMS solutions provide food and beverage companies with support throughout their laboratory procedures, from the input of raw ingredients to the packaging of the final products. Thermo Scientific LIMS deliver the automated process controls and workflow management essential to the quality of Bacardi products and allow the company to continue to build testing protocols and monitor results in a manner that meets regulatory requirements and ensures consumer satisfaction and safety. The LIMS provides a fully integrated laboratory platform covering a wide variety of requirements and regulations, including complete traceability of samples, quality control, monitoring, research, and shelf life.

BIOS

Colin Thurston is director of product strategy for Thermo Fisher Scientific. Eduardo Granado is a quality assurance manager at Bacardi.