As citizens of modern society, we strongly rely on certain products to get through the day, and more importantly, to keep our communities healthy and provided for; these products range anywhere from milk to medicine to bath soap to environmentally friendly fuel sources. Although many consumers may give only a fleeting thought to their production processes, it is critical that industry experts and researchers have a clear understanding of not only how they are made, but also of the equipment required to make them. Homogenizers are examples of such machines, and are indispensable due to their efficient process and diversity of applications. Keep reading to better understand how homogenizers can be used to make the household products we hold so dear.
Applications
When consumers hear the word ‘homogenizer’, the first thing that usually comes to mind is milk. The process is perhaps most utilized within the food and beverage industry, contributing to the production of milk, cheese, and other dairy products, as well as salad dressings and any other food needing some form of intensive mixing. The pharmaceutical industry also frequents the homogenization process, using it to produce vaccines, over-the-counter medicines (in syrup, tablet, and ointment form), cancer treatments, and more. Other industries that require homogenizers, perhaps to a lesser extent but still as important, include the biotechnology and chemical industries. (1)
How It Works
Now that the applications for homogenizers have been established, you may be wondering how they work their magic. Let’s say you are in a lab and have a sample that is slated to be incorporated into a pharmaceutical cream. When the sample is processed through the homogenizer, it is forced through a narrow valve while mechanical forces like pressure, turbulence, and cavitation act on it at different points in the process. The finished product would be an emulsion, a mixture of two immiscible liquids (like oil and water), that can be used to create the cream product that will be sold to consumers.
Homogenizers are incredibly useful because of their diverse range of abilities; the above example required emulsion production, but other products may need a suspension or dispersion. Or perhaps an intracellular E. coli protein requires extraction, so the researcher uses a homogenizer to lyse the E. coli cell. But perhaps the most well-publicized use for a homogenizer is its ability to reduce the size of droplets within a sample, leading to increased bioavailability in pharmaceutical products, better health outcomes in food products, and increased conductivity among chemical products.
Pion International
As you work to determine which high-pressure homogenizer brand and model will be best suited for your laboratory, begin your search with Pion's BEE brand technology. We are globally recognized among laboratory managers and researchers for our high quality products and excellent customer support. Cell lysis and particle size reduction are two of a variety of applications for Pion's BEE brand homogenizers; nano/micro emulsions, lipids, suspensions, and dispersions are also easily achievable.
Importantly, Pion's BEE brand homogenizers can achieve consistent particle sizes at or below 100 nm, a key benefit for products that require smaller droplet sizes. Additionally, the homogenizer processes can be controlled to suit your product, which will allow you to customize to your cell type. And finally, the equipment is easy to use, produces higher yield in less time, and achieves results that are reproducible and scalable.
Learn more about how Pion's BEE brand homogenizers can improve your experimentation by contacting us today.
