BIOFILMTEST FAQ
Frequently asked questions about TBF® 300.
Frequently asked questions about TBF® 300.
TBF® 300 is a product created after years of research collaboration between BETELGEUX-CHRISTEYNS and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (2011) within the framework of an R&D project co-funded by the Centro de Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (industrial Technology Development Centre) and the FEDER Funds.
TBF® 300 detects all types of biofilms within 5 minutes. Unlike other products in the market, this is not a hydrogen peroxide solution that only reacts with catalase positive microorganisms. These products can also react to the presence of organic and oxide residues. This does not happen with TBF® 300, as it is a specific dye that stains the biofilm extracellular matrix.
This prevents the appearance of false positives.
In just five minutes you will be able to determine if there is a biofilm on a surface or not. After applying TBF® 300 on vertical or horizontal surfaces and then rinsing with water, the surface will be stained in fuchsia if there is a biofilm, so the detection will be quick and visual.
It is very important to detect quickly the presence of a biofilm in a food production plant in order to prevent cross-contamination.
This type of contamination with biofilms is persistent and resists the cleaning and disinfecting protocols, allowing the presence of reservoirs in certain places of the plant and leading to microbial contamination in the final product.
TBF® 300 allows detecting in a quick, visual, easy, and economical way the presence of biofilms on surfaces.
No, this product has been developed to detect the presence of biofilms. Different types of solutions are required to remove them, either enzymatic or chemical. BETELGEUX-CHRISTEYNS includes biofilms removal solutions in the portfolio of disinfectant products such as MIDA® SAN 327 BF and MIDA® SAN 328 EC, as well as the enzymatic removal product MIDA® ADD 409 AG.
To detect the presence of any type of biofilm and prevent false positives.
It is recommended to apply the product over clean surfaces, however, it also works on dirty ones, as proven by the effectiveness tests conducted.
The expiry date of the product is two years after its production date.
Rinsing with water is enough to remove the foam adhered to the surface. In case the staining persists, please rub gently.
If you do not find a solution to your question in this FAQ section, please contact BETELGEUX-CHRISTEYNS to resolve any concerns. If the incident is about any health problem related to TBF® 300, please contact the Instituto Nacional de Toxicología (National Toxicology Institute) (91 5620420).
One single product cannot be applied to all types of surfaces. However, TBF® 300 works perfectly well, with no problems, on the most common surfaces found in a food production plant. However, if applied on porous surfaces it could cause permanent staining and a false positive.
The main component of TBF® 300 is a dye specific to the extracellular matrix. In addition, there are other minor components, such as surfactants, responsible for the foaming activity.
TBF® 300 must be stored in a cool and dry place, away from direct sun light and protected from extreme temperatures.
In just 5 minutes and with a visual inspection you will be able to directly check the presence of biofilms.
A quick detection of potential contamination sources, some of them persistent, that could cause serious food safety problems for the company. If these biofilms are detected late, they can create reservoirs in difficult to clean areas of the plant, leading to severe cross-contamination.
Yes, it is. To ensure safety, you should read the instructions carefully before applying the product.
The chances of getting a false positive are minimal, provided the test is applied on the surfaces indicated.
This is one of the most frequent questions among the FAQ for TBF® 300. The quick test detects all types of biofilm, regardless if they are integrated by fungi, bacteria or yeasts, or any combination of them. The presence of catalase positive or negative microorganisms inside the biofilm does not affect the detection when using TBF® 300.
The detection effectiveness of TBF® 300 has been tested for biofilms containing different microorganisms that are relevant for the food industry, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes.
No, the function of TBF® 300 is to detect biofilms, not to remove them. Therefore, as it is not a biocide, this registration is not required.
TBF® 300 is a hygiene control tool that verifies the presence or absence of biofilms. It could also be used as a hygiene control mechanism after the cleaning and disinfection process of a biofilm contaminated plant.
No, because taking samples using swabs allows detecting superficial contamination in different points of a production process, while applying TBF® 300 can be used to find out if such contamination is forming a biofilm.
A bottle of the product can be used to sample +/- 200 testing points of 10 cm2. For flat surfaces, both vertical and horizontal.