FAQ

In general, yes, unless different batches are required (for example for a validation).

We are shipping the goods normally within one week after order receipt. Depending on your location we do have regular fixed weekly shipping days for each country. Please check for your specific country. If you are in a specific hurry please let us know and we will try to fulfill your requirements.

The products are shipped either on pallets or in boxes. On request (but recommended by us), delivery is made in temperature-controlled shipments. Documentation regarding the transport conditions can be requested either by your local contact or by us. USB temperature data loggers can also be included in the delivery on request and for a fee.

• Plates are shipped standard wise on one-way plastic pallets. 11 boxes fit on each layer of a Euro pallet and up to 8 layers (aprox. 200 cm height) can be stacked on each pallet (10 boxes per layer and up to 6 layer for air freigth). This corresponds to 88 boxes, 8800 contact plates and 5280 90 mm plates. For shipments outside of Europe, transport can be performed using industry size pallets (120x100 cm), holding 13 boxes of plates per layer.
• Bottles: up to 400 kg fit on each pallet.

The plates are packed in cardboard boxes with an additional insulating layer of silver-colored bubble wrap.

• 90 mm plates: 60 plates per box
• Contact plates: 100 plates per boxfor gamma irradiated products (CSG) or 120 plates per box for single packaged products (CS)

PMM Swabs and gamma-bags are packed in cardboard boxes without additional insulating layer. Each box contains 120 units. 

The bottles are packed in trays and shrink-wrapped. A special tray is produced for each bottle type with an optimized number of bottles in each tray

• 100 mL infusion bottles & 120 mL screw cap bottles: 20 bottles per tray
• 250 mL infusion bottles and 220 and 250 mL screw cap bottles: 12 bottles per tray
• 500 mL infusion bottles: 8 bottles per tray
• 500 mL screw cap bottles: 9 bottles per tray
• 1000 mL infusion and screw cap bottles: 6 bottles per tray

Plates:

• 90 mm plates: around 16,000 pieces/lot
• contact pllates: around 25,000 pieces/lot

Bottles:

• 100 mL = around 5,000 pieces/lot
• 200 mL = around 2,500 pieces/lot
• 500 mL = around 1,000 pieces/lot
• 1000 mL= around 500 pieces/lot

PMM Swabs: arounf 4,000 pieces/lot

Certificates can be downloaded from our download area. On request certificates can be send in printed version together with the shipment.

Yes – for most of our products BSE/TSE certificates are available. If available they can be downloaded from our webpage together with regular certificates.

At PMM, the products are stored in a temperature-controlled finished goods warehouse within the production building.

Please store the products as follow.

• Plates: 15-25°C. However the temperature should be as stable as possible within this temperature range to avoid the formation of condensation. Please make sure that plates are always stored upright.
• Bottles: 2-25°C

A 2-dimensional data matrix code is printed on the label of PMM products. The data matrix code is composed of 20 digits, which code for 4 different sets of data:

• Digits 1-3         Article code (no translation table is required since our art. codes contain only 3 digits)
• Digits 4-9         Lot number
• Digits 10-14     Unique unit identification number
• Digits 15-20     Expiry Date (YYMMDD)

Yes – Shelf life tests performed at PMM are typically started at least 30 days after the expiry date printed on the product label and stated on the CoA. This guarantees that PMM media can be used until the expiry date, even if the read-out of the medium occurs after this date.

Yes – please send your inquiry and we will do a feasibility check if we can provide such product to you!

Yes – 90 mm as well as contact plates used by PMM have a locking lid system which offers the possibility to incubate the plates either in “Vent” or in “Closed” position. All plates are delivered in the non-locked position and can be turned to one of the locked positions after sampling.

• For standard incubations of aerobic microorganisms, it is recommended to incubate the plates in the Closed position. For incubating the plates in the Closed position, turn the lid clock-wise to the final stop-position, bypassing the first click-stop
• For the detection of anaerobic microorganisms, the plates need to be incubated in the Vent position under anaerobic conditions (e.g., in an anaerobic jar or in an anaerobic incubator). For this incubation, turn the lid until the first click-stop which corresponds to the Vent position

For the incubation of anaerobic microorganisms it is highly recommended to lock the lid into the "Vent" position and to make sure, that the lid has been closed in the correct position before starting incubation. Closing the lid in the "Vent" position results in a small gap between the lid and the bottom of the plate, thus allowing a higher gas exchange rate. This is important if anaerobic isolates are incubated in an anaerobic jar, because it allows an effective and fast removal of oxygen form the incubation environment.

Yes - for standard applications according to EP/USP in the pharmaceutical industry, a sufficient supply of oxygen is present in the PMM plates even when they are placed in the "closed" position.

Yes – PMM plates are packed in bags consisting of a multi-layer foil provided with a special gas barrier layer in the center. The high gas barrier which characterizes the multi-layer foils provides a protection for the plated medium against dehydration as well as potentially harmful gases (e.g., H2O2) that could penetrate inside the bag. The impermeability of the multi-layer foil for VHP (Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide) has been tested during a study performed by an external laboratory. During this study, bags of plates were introduced in an isolator and exposed to three succeeding decontamination cycles. Afterwards, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) inside the bags was measured. In none of the original bagged samples hydrogen peroxide could be detected, proving that PMM plates packaging is impermeable to H2O2 under the applied worst-case conditions.

9-20 kGy 

After sampling and breaking the ampoule to release the TSB medium, the PMM Swab needs to be transported and incubated vertically. There is no need for a dedicated rack. However, racks that are completely open at the bottom could be problematic, since the PMM Swabs may slide through.

It is recommended to release the culture medium from the ampoule into the bottom part of the device as soon as possible after sampling. Storage periods of more than 8 hours should be avoided. The survival of microorganisms on the pre-moistured swab during the time between inoculation of the swab and release of the growth medium from the ampoule into the lower part of the device is highly dependent on the tested strain. The survival of sensitive microorganisms cannot be guaranteed if they are stored on the swab pad for a longer period without growth medium.

It is important to break the ampoule first at the bottom and then at the top in order to release the medium optimally and to avoid pressing on the ampoule a second time, which can lead to the formation of glass splinters.
Please note that glass splinters, even if they appear as particles in the released nutrient solution, have no influence on the results of growth promotion and/or sterility tests.

Yes - we have implemented our own quality management system, which is based on the current GMP guidelines. The company is also ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Yes, a quality control is performed for each produced batch before releasing it for sales. Please check on the product description or on the CoA for the tests that are performed for each product. You can find these documents in our download area. 

Yes – please contact us at info@pmm-leimen.de for arranging an audit.