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Thermo Fisher Scientific offers Gibco sera that are ISIA Traceability Certified as well as fetal bovine serum (FBS) fingerprinting technology that provides empirical and statistical certainty over the origin and authenticity. Both traceability and fingerprinting give customers the transparency and confidence they demand from their FBS supplier. Since serum is the only ingredient in cell culture that is undefined, researchers are often convinced that when things go wrong, it’s the result of bad serum. Therefore, providing a reliable and trustworthy source of FBS is critical to helping ensure research success.
The ISIA traceability certification was awarded to Gibco by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2014. This certification provides researchers with peace of mind and the confidence that Gibco sera are manufactured under the highest traceability standards.
As a form of risk mitigation, the ISIA:
Thermo Fisher Scientific is committed to maintaining this certification and FBS quality:
ISIA traceability certification diminishes the risk of using animal-derived materials in medical, science, and research industries.
The ISIA Traceability Program is not a required measure but a process that companies undergo willingly to certify serum traceability. ISIA approved and trained auditors will identify and report discrepancies from the first to the very last stage of FBS production, and review of records are required for certification. The ISIA ultimately endorses that product labels and descriptions are accurate and authentic.
To learn more about whether your current FBS supplier is certified by ISIA, visit serumindustry.org.
In partnership with Oritain, Gibco FBS fingerprinting helps ensure the quality of sera obtained from low viral risk regions. This technology measures the naturally occurring elements in the environment that are absorbed by plants, animals, and soils, and then compiles those measurements into a "fingerprint". Using this fingerprint, we can link serum to its specific geographical location—providing a robust means to verify if a product is genuine. Gibco sera are the first to be offered with this technology, giving scientists reassurance regarding the origin of each lot of serum.
Figure 1. Basis for FBS fingerprinting. Naturally occurring elements are absorbed by organisms, soil, and water. Levels of these elements vary geographically, meaning the concentrations found in natural products such as FBS are different depending on the environment where a source animal or plant was produced.
Figure 2. The collection process. (1) Product samples are collected. (2) Samples are analyzed to determine fingerprints. (3) Fingerprints are stored in a database and are ready to audit against “suspect” samples.
Figure 3. Statistical representation of the chemical fingerprint of origin for Australian, Brazilian, Mexican, New Zealand, and USA derived Fetal Bovine Serum. Each 3D graph is a different perspective of the same data set. Lot # described in this report is labeled with a black star.
Fetal Bovine Serum Basics
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