As TEMPO® is strategic for the release of Danish Crown’s products, the cooperative has chosen to install a full system in its single microbiology laboratory. Samples from all their Danish plants arrive at the site. Inside the laboratory, the TEMPO® is equipped with one preparation station, one reading station and four fillers. At Danish Crown, they use the system for environmental samples, raw meat, and processed meat of various types. 3,000 samples are analyzed each month, assessing “for total viable count of microorganisms, E. coli, total coliforms, coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus and yeast and mold”.

The adoption of TEMPO® has enabled Danish Crown to optimize its people management, an undeniable asset in an increasingly difficult recruitment context. For example, where it used to take three or four technicians to carry out microbiological analyses in the traditional, manual way, just two people are now sufficient. The first technician prepares the samples, and the second inoculates the TEMPO® cards and places them in the filler and in the racks.

Another major advantage is that the system is accessible after just a short training course! Simone Lynge Bjerg reports it takes “from one day for experienced technicians up to one week for a non-microbiologist”. This is an advantage that has enabled Danish Crown to implement job rotation, contributing to technician satisfaction and staff stability. Not to mention that for department management, it’s also easier to fill absences and vacations.