GLP Compliant Precision Scale for Recipe Weighing

By Rachel Kohn | June 17, 2010
The Kern PCB precision balance from Tovatech is an excellent tool for recipe weighing and when coupled with a statistics printer and a PC meets GLP/ISO record keeping requirements.
The Kern PCB precision balance from Tovatech is an excellent tool for recipe weighing and when coupled with a statistics printer and a PC meets GLP/ISO record keeping requirements.

A sous chef exercising a bit of creativity when following a recipe for a dessert might discover a significant improvement in the final product.  Or maybe not.  Such creativity is to be fully avoided when compounding drugs or other products where strict control of ingredients is mandatory.  A precision balance employed for the purpose of recipe weighing and record keeping is the tool of choice in applications where regulatory compliance and lab efficiency are goals.

Recipe weighing using  precision scales such as the Kern PCB available from Tovatech also supports research in labs where technicians create and vary formulations while seeking to develop new or improved products.

In both instances – following fixed procedures or developing new formulations – traceability is essential in order to identify the formulation and the amount of various components it contains.  For GLP/ISO record keeping that satisfies CFR Title 21, Part 11 the Kern PCB can be coupled with a statistics printer using an RS 232 interface.   This printer provides the time/date stamp required to support GLP. Another accessory is a second display module that has two data interfaces to connect to a printer or PC.

Precision balances used in a net-total recipe weighing scenario document the mixture of several components by using the unit’s formula function. Components are added to a container on the precision balance one by one and the weight of each is recorded after subtracting out the container weight (tare weight). The total weight of all components can be then called up for control purposes.

The attractively priced Kern PCB precision scale features backlit LCD display digits 15mm high.  A 9-volt battery for use where normal current is unavailable has an auto-off function that activates after 3 minutes without a change in load.  An optional rechargeable battery pack, also with a 3-minute auto-off, powers 48 hours of service, recharging in approximately 8 hours.

Recipe weighing is an important part of complying with FDA regulations, good laboratory practices and meeting ISO standards.   Improper compounding can have serious results that can lead to illness or at worst case loss of life.  Make sure your staff is fully educated on the proper use of a precision balance for recipe weighing and record keeping.

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How does your company handle recipe weighing?  Please share any new procedures you may have developed and why they were implemented.

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About Rachel Kohn

So how did an MIT Ph.D. end up selling refrigerators? When I figured out that a lot more scientists buy lab refrigerators than innovative leading-edge instruments. I hope that my many years of lab experience will help you find the right equipment for your work. Before co-founding Tovatech I worked in business development and project management at Smiths Detection, Photon-X, Cardinal Health, and Hoechst Celanese. And before that I spent 12 years as an R&D chemist at Hoechst Celanese and Aventis working on advanced drug delivery systems, polymer films and membranes, optical disks, and polysaccharides. Some day, eventually, I’ll make enough money to develop an innovative technology that will change the world. Read More