Bürkle GmbH – Bring Your Sampling To The Next Level

Yes, all our single-use, disposable samplers are suitable for foodstuffs. They comply with EU food requirements and FDA regulations.

We guarantee the sterility for two years after production. The expiry date is printed on the packaging of each sterile item and samplers. The lot number is also indicated which consists of the production date and the article number.

The lot number is printed on every single package of each item and on the carton, the outer package.

Yes, we provide full certification for the single-use items. For any questions about certificates, please contact us at certificates@avantorsciences.com

To find a suitable sampler the following questions need to be answered:

1. What medium is being sampled?
2. What is the consistency of the medium?
3. From which type of container will the sample be taken?
4. What volume is required?
5. Sampling technique: Target sample, all-layer sample or multi-target sample?
6. Disposable or reusable samplers: Does the sampler need to be pure and sterile? Is the material to be sampled greasy, strongly adhesive or toxic? Is simple cleaning without risks to the user possible? We are available if you need any help or consultation.

Samplers should be easy and quick to clean. That's why they are designed without any grooves or crevices and with very smooth surfaces. All samplers can be disassembled for cleaning. The higher the requirements (purity, sterility etc.), the more likely it is that they can only be met by using single-use samplers which can be disposed of after use.

Taking samples from sacks, boxes or bags with sampling lances is a common and time-proven practice. To close the resultant holes we recommend the close-it control seals which are designed for this purpose. The label has a sandwich-type structure (aluminium/paper) and seals the container hermetically (vapour barrier). The underside of the label is coated with a powerful adhesive which sticks on almost any surface - even if the surface is coated with fine powder, slightly moist or even frozen. For applications with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or food additives, there is the close-it food & pharma which conforms to EU food requirements and FDA guidelines.

The main reasons for using disposable samplers are:

1. Highest requirements (purity, sterility, GMP)
2. Cost and time intensive cleaning
3. Frequent sampling
4. High auditing requirements
5. Dangerous/aggressive/toxic substances

Yes, all single-use items are also available non-sterile as LaboPlast version, which is not sterilised but manufactured in class 7 clean room (10,000).

Yes, all small items such as the scoops, spoons, spatulas, measuring spoons, forceps and scrapers are available in blue and blue detectable (detectable by colour scanners, metal detectors or X-rays).

The single-use scoops, spoons and spatulas are also available made of bio-PE instead of PS. The bio-PE is made of sustainable raw materials, dispensing with fossil materials. That leads to CO2 saving and thus reduction of the greenhouse effect.

As we are the manufacturer of the samplers, it is in general possible to do customised versions of the samplers - e.g. in different length, other sizes, in different colours or other desired characteristics. But it has to be checked individually depending on the sampler and the desired changes.

Our products are mostly produced in Germany.

No, you must check the chemical resistance of the material of the sampler to the specific chemical. It is important to check because if the sampler reacts with the chemical, it can contaminate the sample as well as the sampled material. To avoid this, we provide a list of chemical resistance where you can check the chemical resistance of different materials to various chemicals.

In a clean-room environment the quantity particles in the air are kept low by using appropriate clothing, adoption of good technique as well as a specialist air filtration systems. The respective clean-room class specifies the maximum allowable air particle count. To comply with the specified clean-room class, the particle count must be monitored regularly. By adopting these strict measures the number of particles on the surface of the sampler can be kept very low. Due to these strict standards of manufacture customers can be assured that Burkle samplers are 'clean-room clean' with no contamination that could effect the results of downstream quality analysis. That way representative and reproducible samples can be collected to give reliable statements about the quality, properties and composition of the material being sampled. This applies to all single-use, disposable samplers and tools; both from our LaboPlast and SteriPlast ranges- sterile products are terminally sterilised after production in clean room.

In many industries there are audit requirements based on GMP guidelines. Not just the used tools must be validated as part of audits that take place regularly but also the plan, process and method of cleaning. However a validation of the cleaning process and therefore the verification of the effectiveness and reproducibility of the cleaning procedure is difficult and costly. A validation may even be partially impossible. The validation of the cleaning method is dispensed with entirely when using disposable samplers as they are disposed after use. For each sampling a new sampler is used which is guaranteed pure and thus (cross-) contamination is excluded. After use the sampler is disposed and cleaning and its validation is not necessary at all.

In some areas, the use of single-use samplers and tools is mandatory. For those using scoops, spoons or spatulas it is possible to switch to those made of bio-PE which is made from renewable resources and not fossil raw materials to contribute to sustainability and ecology. All single-use items are recyclable, depending on the level and type of contamination. It is necessary to weigh the efforts and waste caused by cleaning reusable samplers and the efforts and waste caused by using disposable samplers.