How long does it take?

Samples usually arrive within a week of the request. Parallel testing is on your schedule; most customers complete a qualification in four to eight weeks.

Evaluation samples are free. The pilot quantity is a normal order at normal prices.

Do I have to qualify every product?

No. Start with the products that matter most for supply security. Products of the same formulation family qualify faster once the first is through.

Will the documentation satisfy a supplier audit?

Our regulatory and quality documents page lists what is available: ISO 22000 and Halal certificates, company statements, per-product regulatory statements, and third-party test reports on request. We also accept on-site audits by appointment.

Qualify STBIO MEDIA as a second source

You do not have to replace your current supplier. Most laboratories and plants start with us as a qualified second source for a handful of media and peptones, so that a backorder or a price move no longer stops production. Here is how that usually goes.

Why a second source

Backorders on standard media and peptones since 2021 have stopped production lines and QC release; a qualified alternative on file means a shortage becomes a purchasing decision instead of a crisis.
A second source gives you a price reference at every renewal. You do not have to switch to benefit from it.
Supplier qualification is easier when nothing is urgent. Qualifying during a shortage is done under pressure and often skipped.

What we provide for qualification

Equivalents to BD Difco, Oxoid and Merck formulations, listed by standard formulation on our brand cross-reference, with the ISO, USP and EP methods each serves.
Free evaluation samples of standard pack size, shipped by courier.
Specification sheet, SDS and lot Certificate of Analysis for the sample lot, so the data you test against is the data you will buy against.
Product regulatory statements, company quality and regulatory documents, and supplier questionnaires in your format.
Food-grade raw materials, ISO 22000 certified manufacturing, batch traceability to raw-material lot, and customer audits by appointment.

A typical qualification

1. Pick the products and request samplesUsually two to five media or peptones that you use most or that have been hardest to get. Use the cross-reference to find the equivalent, then request samples with your control strains and intended use noted.

2. Parallel testRun the STBIO lot alongside your current supplier's lot with your own control strains or your own process: growth promotion for media, growth curve or yield for peptones. We supply the COA of the sample lot and help interpret any difference.

3. Pilot quantityOrder a production pack (5 kg or 25 kg) and run it in a real batch or a full QC cycle. This is where handling, dissolution and documentation get checked for real.

4. Add to the approved supplier listComplete your supplier questionnaire with our documents, file the regulatory statements, and set the reorder terms. From then on you order from either supplier as you choose.

Request evaluation samples Find your equivalents Regulatory and quality documents

Questions we get asked

How long does it take?: Samples usually arrive within a week of the request. Parallel testing is on your schedule; most customers complete a qualification in four to eight weeks.
Is there a cost?: Evaluation samples are free. The pilot quantity is a normal order at normal prices.
Do I have to qualify every product?: No. Start with the products that matter most for supply security. Products of the same formulation family qualify faster once the first is through.
Will the documentation satisfy a supplier audit?: Our regulatory and quality documents page lists what is available: ISO 22000 and Halal certificates, company statements, per-product regulatory statements, and third-party test reports on request. We also accept on-site audits by appointment.