Hanuo HN-12N Temperature-Controlled Sterilizable Stomacher Homogenizer

Overview

The Hanuo HN-12N is a temperature-controlled, UV-sterilizable stomacher-style homogenizer engineered for high-integrity sample preparation in microbiological, clinical, pharmaceutical, and food safety laboratories. Unlike rotor-stator or probe-based systems, the HN-12N employs controlled mechanical pulsation—repetitive, bidirectional impact forces transmitted through a sterile, single-use polyethylene filter bag—to achieve gentle yet effective homogenization of delicate biological matrices. This principle ensures minimal thermal generation (<1 °C rise under standard 2-min protocols), avoids enzymatic denaturation, and preserves cell viability or pathogen integrity for downstream enumeration, isolation, or molecular analysis. Its integrated thermostatic chamber enables precise temperature maintenance (ambient to 50 °C), critical for thermosensitive samples such as anaerobic bacteria cultures, probiotic suspensions, or heat-labile toxin preparations. The built-in UV-C (253.7 nm) sterilization module decontaminates the internal chamber between runs—eliminating cross-contamination risk without chemical residues or manual wiping—making it compliant with ISO 6887-1, FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 3, and EU Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 requirements for ready-to-eat food testing.

Key Features

• Gentle, non-shearing homogenization via programmable pulsatile action (3–12 pulses/sec), optimized for tissue dissociation without cellular lysis or DNA fragmentation
• 12 independently configurable multi-stage programs—each storing discrete values for pulse duration, frequency, pre-homogenization incubation, and UV sterilization cycle timing
• Integrated temperature control system with real-time monitoring and ±0.5 °C stability across 0–50 °C operating range
• UV-C (253.7 nm) germicidal irradiation chamber with automatic 5-minute cycle timer and safety interlock
• Full-touch LCD interface with intuitive icon-driven navigation; supports multilingual on-screen prompts (English default)
• Adjustable beat plate spacing (0–50 mm) accommodates variable bag fill volumes (3–400 mL) while maintaining consistent energy transfer
• Tempered glass viewing window with full-height access door for rapid bag loading/unloading and visual process verification
• Soft-start motor drive and auto-stop anti-pinch mechanism certified to IEC 61000-6-2 EMC and EN 61000-6-4 safety standards
• Corrosion-resistant stainless steel housing with epoxy-coated interior surfaces compatible with ethanol, hydrogen peroxide vapor, and quaternary ammonium disinfectants

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The HN-12N processes diverse sample types—including raw meat, dairy products, leafy greens, fecal specimens, tumor biopsies (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma), and environmental swabs—within standardized sterile filter bags (17 × 30 cm). Its low-energy impact method yields reproducible single-cell suspensions (≥2 × 10⁵ viable cells/mL within 120 seconds for soft tissues) while retaining membrane integrity for flow cytometry or colony-forming unit (CFU) assays. The instrument meets ISO/IEC 17025 documentation requirements for equipment qualification and supports GLP-compliant audit trails when paired with optional external data loggers. It is validated for use in USP /, EP 2.6.12, and AOAC Official Method 990.12 workflows, and its UV sterilization cycle conforms to ISO 15883-1 for reprocessing of medical devices.

Software & Data Management

While the HN-12N operates as a standalone benchtop unit with embedded firmware, its programmable architecture allows traceable parameter logging via RS-232 or USB serial interface (optional adapter). Each run records timestamp, selected program ID, actual chamber temperature, total pulse count, and UV activation status—exportable as CSV for LIMS integration. Firmware supports user-level access control (operator/admin modes), password-protected parameter modification, and electronic signature capture for 21 CFR Part 11–aligned environments. Audit trail functionality logs all configuration changes, including date/time stamps and operator IDs, ensuring compliance with FDA and EMA data integrity guidelines.

Applications

• Microbiological testing: Enumeration of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter spp. in food and environmental samples per ISO 6579 and ISO 11290
• Clinical diagnostics: Homogenization of stool, sputum, and biopsy specimens prior to culture, PCR, or MALDI-TOF MS analysis
• Pharmaceutical QC: Extraction of microbial contaminants from sterile drug products and excipients in accordance with USP
• Academic research: Preparation of primary tumor cell suspensions for xenograft modeling, organoid culture initiation, or single-cell RNA sequencing libraries
• Toxicology & immunology: Gentle disruption of immune cell-rich tissues (spleen, lymph nodes) preserving surface antigen expression for flow cytometry

FAQ

Does the HN-12N require calibration before first use?
No routine calibration is required; however, users must perform initial performance verification using standardized reference materials (e.g., NIST-traceable latex microsphere suspensions) per laboratory SOPs.
Can the UV sterilization cycle be disabled?
Yes—the UV module can be deactivated via software menu; however, disabling it voids the instrument’s contamination control certification for regulated applications.
Is the HN-12N compatible with non-standard bag sizes?
Only bags conforming to ISO 7218 Annex B dimensions (17 × 30 cm) are validated; deviation may compromise homogenization efficiency and thermal uniformity.
What maintenance intervals are recommended?
Visual inspection of beat plate alignment and gasket integrity every 200 cycles; UV lamp replacement every 8,000 hours (approx. 12 months at 20 cycles/day); annual firmware update verification.
Does the device support remote monitoring or network connectivity?
Native Ethernet or Wi-Fi is not included, but third-party IoT gateways can integrate via Modbus RTU over RS-485 (requires optional communication module).