3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced Named 2022 Edison Award Finalist

In 2021, 3M Food Safety introduced the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced, a new automation technology that gives food safety professionals a new option to image, count and document microbiological colonies on 3M Petrifilm Plates indicator tests. By rapidly automating the colony-counting step of 3M Petrifilm Plates, the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced aims to save food safety labs time and increases productivity. 

The new 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced is a small, peripheral device containing a five-megapixel camera and versatile bar code reader. The device utilizes fixed artificial intelligence networks to enumerate 3M Petrifilm Plates. 3M Petrifilm Plates are inserted into the device, with imaging and information automatically displaying on a USB-connected computer in less than six seconds, processing up to 900 plates per hour. The device can enumerate 10 3M Petrifilm Plates and the Staph Express Disk and includes software that allows technicians to edit results and add other relevant sample information. A study conducted found up to 94% reduced time to enumerate 3M Petrifilm Plates when using the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced.

Named for Thomas Edison (1847-1931), whose incredible product development and inventions changed the world, the Edison Awards have been honoring the most innovative new products and services for more than 30 years. They are judged by the Edison Award Steering Committee, a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives consisting of past award winners, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medicine. The committee reviewed more than 350 submissions across all categories for the 2022 awards and determined the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced to be among the most elite submissions. 

The Commercial Technology category recognizes advancements in technology that can help improve the world through the application of scientific knowledge to practical technological advancements. As a finalist, 3M Food Safety is recognized for the advancement the 3M Petrifilm Plate Reader Advanced has brought to the industry.