Food and Beverages Tech Review: Specials Magazine

Test and Release food safety testing has been an elusive challenge for the food production industry. For decades, the industry has relied heavily on third-party laboratories to generate pathogen tests days after production is ready to ship to buyers, which means food samples often leave the production floor and travel miles before testing even begins. The industry has long needed a cheap, easy to use and totally flawless “Test and Release” solution to the food safety issue now AME Certified Laboratories has released the ideal system. By the time results come back, the food may already be sitting in expensive to maintain cold storage facilities, losing freshness and shelf life, or moving closer to distribution without clear confirmation of safety. The problem is not just the waiting. Many third-party labs still depend on outdated culture-based methods that can take several days to produce test results and do not always deliver consistent accuracy. Even when the traditional methods are established, logistical issues such as sample handling and accessioning create opportunities for error. Accessioning involves receiving, labeling, and sorting hundreds of samples at once. This is the gap that AME Certified Laboratories set out to close. Instead of leaving such a critical step to outside parties, AME equips food processors with in-house cutting-edge DNA-based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing systems that can be used directly in their own facilities with their own employees. AME, equips, trains, supports, provides the test kits, and certifies the in-house employees. Trained employees report their increased capability after being certified to be AME PCR Technicians, increased their value to the food production organization. By giving food manufacturers, the most advanced tools to conduct tests themselves, the company eliminates the time lag, reduces the risk of error, and dramatically improves outcomes. Food processors gain control over one of the most sensitive points in the supply chain, with results available in minutes rather than days with ISO 17025-level systems and train. Unlike traditional third-party testing, where food samples are sent out and results can take days to arrive, AME's in-house PCR testing returns results in as few as 20 minutes of run time. That is a game-changer for food producers, especially for items with short shelf lives, such as fresh produce. This immediate feedback allows them to address contamination concerns quickly without waiting for outside labs. In fact, AME’s system is so efficient that it reduces the need for costly cold storage while products are awaiting test results, thus the “Test and Release” method realized. Food producers report the ‘no down time’ associated with waiting for test results a big advantage in the shipment of products to buyers. An AME client noted, "The most desirable and advantageous use of the machine is, it is operated by the QA staff and results are kept in-house for analytical results before the product is packed and shipped." Andy Moreno, Ph.D., Bacterial Surveillance Systems Engineer and Genetic Detection Systems Engineer at AME, emphasizes the importance of in-house testing. He says, “The big advantage of in-house testing is that the people doing the testing are the same ones who know the factory, the processes, and the products. They conduct it with an understanding of what is happening at every step. That leads to much more accurate and reliable results at a fraction of the traditional cost model.”

Good packaging is a critical extension of product integrity and brand accountability in the cold-chain economy. For food and beverage companies, especially those handling perishable or temperature-sensitive SKUs, the box matters as much as what’s inside. A spoiled delivery doesn’t just cost a refund—it costs trust. That’s why companies across the U.S. rely on Polar Tech, where packaging is designed to protect the product and the reputation riding on it. Its insulated solutions go beyond maintaining precise temperature. They defend shipments against both thermal and physical shocks that are all too common in today’s distribution networks, from parcels stacked in crowded warehouses to packages dropped or jostled in last-mile delivery. Every box Polar Tech designs is test-validated under simulated field conditions, accounting for temperature volatility, vertical load-bearing and shock resistance. The goal is always to preserve product integrity across the last mile and beyond, even when conditions deviate from the plan, because real-world logistics don’t follow lab conditions. And with more than 300 container sizes and seven types of gel packs, brands gain unmatched flexibility to align packaging configurations with product perishability or even evolving sustainability standards, something high-growth F&B brands care about as they scale into regulated retail, cross-border exports or pharmaceutical-grade standards. “We engineer our containers to perform on every front,” says Autumn Santeler, general manager of operations. “Foam interiors shield against rough handling, superior insulation R-value ratings maintain steady temperatures and pre-printed handling instructions guide careful treatment, so every shipment arrives safe, fresh and as intended.” That commitment to protection is now meeting a new reality in the market; sustainability. As demand for cold-chain shipping grows, so does the volume of packaging moving through supply chains. Businesses now want solutions that keep goods safe while lowering their footprint. Polar Tech addresses this need with a biodegradable foam option that matches the performance of traditional packaging without incurring additional costs or complexity. Any of its 300-plus container designs can be made in this material, giving companies the flexibility to scale sustainably while maintaining uncompromising standards of temperature control and protection. .