Researchers looking for reduced cold storage space requirements and easier access to media on their bench top, now have an answer. Recently launched Gibco™ BenchStable™ media are specifically engineered for room-temperature storage. This permits flexible media storage on the lab bench, thus freeing up valuable cold storage space.

The product line is available in the most commonly used basal media formulations: Gibco™ DMEM, DMEM/F-12, MEM, and RPMI 1640, all include Gibco™ GlutaMAX™ supplement. These room temperature stable media have been designed to work as a direct replacement for current basal media.

BenchStable media have been optimized for routine cell culture, maintaining expected cellular proliferation, morphology, and functions of many common cell lines, and maximizing cell densities when supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Figure 1).

For further convenience, Gibco BenchStable media are provided in light-protective packaging to mitigate the risk of light exposure can have a negative effect on media performance. (Figure 2).

On top of these lab benefits, BenchStable™ Cell

Culture Media are in fact greener and better for the environment. A recent fact sheet discusses the commitment to designing products with the environment in mind. Part of this commitment is designing media with more sustainable packaging and promoting more efficient use of energy by reducing the need for cold storage.

Cold storage is one of the primary sources of energy consumption in a lab. “A 2015 study on laboratory energy consumption by the Center for Energy Efficient Laboratories (CEEL) determined that California laboratories alone use at least 800 GWh of energy each year—equivalent to the yearly greenhouse gas emissions from 127,489 passenger cars. According to the CEEL study, approximately 25% of the energy consumption in a typical lab is from cold storage.” The ability to store media at room temperature reduces refrigerator space requirements and can provide a decrease in energy usage.

Packaging can also be a source of tremendous waste. BenchStable media were designed to include a recyclable paperboard box with a dark interior to protect from light. When not used to protect the media, the box can be reused for other light sensitive reagents in the lab. Each media bottle is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lid, two of the most highly recycled plastics. When ready for disposal, all the materials can be easily recycled. BenchStable media products are shipped at ambient temperature in a fully recyclable cardboard box, without the need for expanded polystyrene (EPS) coolers and refrigerants.

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Gibco™ BenchStable™ media line of products