text.skipToContent text.skipToNavigation
No results found
Search Suggestions

“I Should Have Made More Notes”

Jan-Hendrik Bebermeier Lab Academy

The documentation of processes and samples is taking more and more time. However, this extra effort is rewarded later on when samples can be easily identified and accompanying data is available. With the SafeCode system, documentation is easier and more comprehensive than ever before, providing a real solution to the problem.

This article appeared first in BioNews, Eppendorf’s application-oriented customer magazine since 1993.

The fact that data is missing is usually only realized at a later stage. “I should have made more notes” is probably one of the most frequently uttered phrases in science. Particularly in the case of lab consumables, all relevant information about the lot/batch, type of product, or purity grade is printed on the outer box. This box, together with all the important information about the product, is usually the first thing to be disposed of, while the tubes with the corresponding samples are stored for years.

The SafeCode system solves these problems. The pre-coded consumables are pre-labeled with a DataMatrix code and a clear code that encodes a type of serial number for each individual consumable. This identifier provides far more reliable sample identification than self-made labels and allows access to the specific vessel information mentioned above as well as certificates. These data records can be downloaded from the Eppendorf website.

As sample and information management becomes relevant in many projects, the SafeCode data concept is optimized for the eLabNext software solution, but it can also be used as an open system. The SafeCode feature is available for various consumables such as CryoStorage vials, conical tubes, and different plate formats.