“RAYPA media preparators have an excellent value for money”
- RAYPA Lab
- 7 min read
- 18/03/2026
Table of Contents
About Eurofins Scientific
Eurofins Scientific is a leading global laboratory group that offers a wide range of analytical and scientific-technical services to industries and authorities operating in pharmaceutical, agri-food, environmental, biotech and consumer goods sectors.
Worldwide, Eurofins Scientific employs more than 61.000 people in 940 laboratories located across 59 countries and has more than 200.000 assay types in its catalog.
At RAYPA, we believe that no one is better suited than our customers to explain the advantages of incorporating our media preparator for their microbiology or plant tissue culture laboratories.
That’s why, on this occasion, we interviewed Luis Fernando Portillo Pedraza, Production Manager at the microbiology laboratory of Eurofins Scientific’s delegation in Madrid.
He is a professional with more than 16 years of experience in microbiological analysis and quality control of samples in multiple market segments, including: food, water, cosmetics and food supplements.
Regarding the laboratory under the supervision of Luis, it belongs to the Food & Feed Testing division, which in Spain operates multiple sites with laboratories located in Barcelona, Madrid, Pamplona, Murcia, and Tenerife, among other locations.
Luis Fernando Portillo Pedraza holds the position of Production Manager at a microbiology laboratory at Eurofins Group, and is a specialist in the field of microbiological analysis techniques for various industries including food, water, cosmetics, and vitamins.
He is accountable for the technical aspects of the laboratory, personnel management and work organization.
Regarding the technical field, he is responsible for inspecting and validating analytical methods, developing new techniques and ensuring the quality of existing methods by maintaining the corresponding accreditations and carrying out the pertinent audits, among other tasks.
We spoke with Luis in order to know first-hand his experience with our RAYPA AE-MP Series media preparator.
First of all, we would like to know whether all microbiology laboratories at Eurofins Scientific operate in the same way
Actually, no — while we are laboratories that belong to the same division, we operate independently. Each Eurofins Scientific laboratory uses its own methods, although some processes are shared across all sites. For example, in the case of anaerobic counts, our laboratory uses a specific culture medium, whereas other laboratories may use a different one.
However, in other aspects of the assays, such as the diluent used in enumerations, it is common for any type of quantitative assay. Regardless of the method that is used to quantify, the use of this type of diluent is standard across all Eurofins laboratories, as well as in any other microbiology laboratory.
What type of culture media do you use in your facility? Which ones do you produce by yourselves?
With regard to the operations carried out in the laboratory under my supervision, I would like to highlight the use of culture media supplied by vendors. These media are already validated and are purchased ready to use from the manufacturers —either in bags for specific diluents or as agar pre-poured into Petri dishes.
Conversely, we prepare peptone water in-house using a media preparator. This approach is taken due to our high daily consumption of this product, and it allows us to significantly reduce costs.
The tests conducted with peptone water primarily include general enumeration of bacteria and yeasts. Additionally, qualitative assays for Salmonella enterica are performed by enriching the culture medium with peptone water.
Why did you choose to prepare the peptone water by yourselves with a media preparator?
We chose this approach because, although we could also purchase pre-filled 3-liter bags, preparing it ourselves is ultimately more cost-effective. It allows us to save on costs, time, space, and labor.
Before acquiring this technology, we conducted a thorough analysis, studying the costs associated with purchasing, transporting, and storing the pre-filled peptone water bags we consumed.
We also compared the productivity of laboratory technicians working with individual peptone water bags versus using a media preparator.
Following this study, we concluded that producing the peptone water in-house using a media preparator was significantly more economical. Moreover, the return on investment could be achieved within a short period after acquiring the equipment.
In addition to the financial benefits, the media preparator also offers advantages in terms of time and labor efficiency. The operator is not required to continuously change bags and hoses, and a larger volume of media can be prepared per rotation at a faster rate and it can be dispensed quicker. Furthermore, the risk of contamination is minimized as multiple bags are not used on a daily basis.
Additionally, the need for dedicating an area for storage and refrigeration of the product is eliminated as the prepared media is used directly from the media preparator.
By improving productivity and eliminating the need to store product in stock, we have overcome growth limiting factors and have been able to increase our daily assay capacity.
How do you use the media preparator?
We make extensive use of the equipment. As mentioned earlier, we primarily use it to prepare large volumes of peptone water. Recently, we added a third media preparator to our laboratory. Currently, each of our three media preparators has a maximum capacity of 36 liters, and at present, we carry out up to four full batches per day.
This task requires only one operator, who is responsible for media preparation. For each preparator being used, the operator runs the corresponding cleaning cycle, adds the required amount of distilled water, and dispenses the appropriate quantity of dehydrated medium.
What benefits has the incorporation of the media preparator brought to your operations?
When working with high volumes, using pre-filled 3, 4, or 5-liter bags meant that each time a bag was emptied, we had to replace it, reconnect the equipment, and continue the process. Now, by preparing 36 liters of medium per preparator in a single batch, we obtain the equivalent of seven 5-liter bags. It’s much faster and simpler. Additionally, we minimize the risk of contamination.
What improvements has the addition of a third media preparator brought?
The acquisition of an additional media preparator has greatly improved the efficiency of our laboratory operations. Previously, with only two media preparators, there were periods of downtime while one unit was being cleaned and prepared for the next cycle.
Now that we have three units, we are able to rotate them and maintain a continuous workflow. One unit is preparing media, another is being cleaned, and the operator is dispensing product from the third. This setup allows for a more streamlined and efficient process, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity.
“RAYPA media preparators have just the right and necessary functions to fulfill our needs.”
Luis Fernando Portillo Pedraza, Production Manager of the microbiology laboratory at Eurofins Scientific.
How has your experience with our company been?
Prior to acquiring the media preparator, we were already familiar with RAYPA as a manufacturer, having previously used their autoclaves for instrument sterilization. In 2018, we obtained our first media preparator, which at the time was still a prototype under development. We evaluated it thoroughly and found it to be highly satisfactory, particularly due to its simple design and ease of use. The device does not require extensive or specialized training for staff and includes only the necessary functions to perform its task effectively.
In terms of capacity, RAYPA media preparators offered a higher volume than other equipment we were evaluating at the time. Given the quantities of peptone water we produce, this was a key factor for us. What this media preparator offers is exactly what our laboratory needs —no more, no less.
What is your opinion about the technical service? Both in terms of equipment installation and after-sales service
I truly have no complaints, as any query I have made to the technical support team —whether by e-mail or telephone— has been resolved quickly. Honestly, the service has been excellent.
The installation of the equipment requires a water supply and a drainage system, which are very easy to set up. As I have already mentioned, its operation is very simple, and the technicians found it quick and easy to learn.
In your opinion, when do you think it's worth investing in a media preparator instead of using an autoclave?
I have previously shared our positive experience with the media preparator with colleagues from other microbiology laboratories across Spain. I have emphasized its ease of use and high production capacity, which eliminates the need to purchase pre-filled peptone water.
In addition, the risk of contamination is minimized by avoiding frequent hose changes, and unlike ready-made bags of smaller volume, it doesn’t require refrigerated storage. The compact size of the media preparator also makes it easy to install in different locations.
If a laboratory decides not to purchase pre-filled peptone water and instead prepares it in bottles using an autoclave, those bottles typically need to hold 2 to 3 liters to be manageable. This means technicians must carry heavy loads, use larger autoclaves, inspect each bottle, endure longer preparation times, and face risks associated with handling hot materials.
When comparing the performance of a media preparator to preparing bottles with an autoclave, the truth is that having a media preparator is clearly worthwhile. It eliminates the need for multiple autoclave cycles, avoids the burden of storing and refrigerating bottles until use, and removes the need for visual and quality checks with every autoclave batch. Additionally, autoclaved bottles do not include an integrated dispensing function, and their productivity per cycle is much lower.
As we can see, the media preparator offers multiple advantages: no storage needs, fewer quality checks, less handling, and the ability to produce large volumes of peptone water.
Moreover, it delivers excellent value for money, especially when compared to other manufacturers whose equipment is more expensive.
Is there anything you would improve about our media preparator?
Sometimes I have missed the integration of an external temperature probe. In other words, the media preparator has a flexible probe that performs a control through the equipment itself and, since it has a built-in printer, it tells you whether the sterilization or the cycle we have performed is correct or not. But, we could not place an external validation probe to continuously monitor and register the temperature of the culture media during the sterilization process.
I am pleased to learn that RAYPA has now made this option available through the integration of an external adapter, enabling us to conduct temperature control in a more precise manner. I am appreciative that RAYPA continuously seeks ways to enhance their products, and this addition further improves the functionality of the media preparator.
We are deeply grateful to you… Thank you very much, Luis, for sharing your experience with us!
RAYPA Lab
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