One application for Seward’s Stomacher® is for the preparation of faecal samples in the medical and bioresearch fields for a variety of analyses.

In particular, the use of Seward’s products in the emerging field of faecal flora transplants is of note.

The claim that ingestion of ‘friendly bacteria’ in food products confers beneficial effects has been controversial. In healthy individuals, the evidence is dubious. However, in patients that have a depleted or altered gut flora as a result of antibiotic treatment to prevent nosocomial infection, the indications are positive, particularly in relation to Clostridium difficile.

This has led to the concept of faecal transplants, where homogenised faeces from a healthy individual are either ingested or delivered by enema to a depleted individual. The method has been scrutinised by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), with recommendations presented on its website.

Technical director at Seward Stuart Ray commented: "Seward has supplied Stomacher units for preparation of faecal samples for a variety of applications over the years and we are now see an increasing interest in the field of faecal transplant inocula.

"We can offer a specific reference site where the Stomacher is being used in the preparation of faecal transplant inocula, as well as contact with a research group that has worked extensively and successfully with our products in this emerging field."

Seward’s Stomacher® laboratory paddle blenders and accessories are used in sample preparation for microbiological analysis.