CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 20-Minute Rapid Readout, Fluorescence, 50-Pack
Specifications
| Type | Fluorescence biological indicator |
|---|---|
| Readout time | 20 minutes |
| Pack quantity | 50 tests |
| Requires | Fluorescence reader (e.g. 4-well rapid reader) |
| Use | Steam autoclave sterilization monitoring |
| SKU | CLI-STER-BI-R20-50 |
| Brand | CliniEco Medical |
Pricing
| Order | Unit price |
|---|---|
| 1 unit | $289.99 CAD |
| Case and carton prices are in the size table below | |
| Request quote for clinic and volume orders | |
Read the full product guide 16 sections · specs, use, compliance
Rapid-readout sterilization monitoring — results in 20 minutes, not 24 hours.
What does a 20-minute biological indicator cost per test in Canada?
The box holds 50 self-contained vials, and the per-test figure is the box amount shown on this page divided by fifty. The same question answered by the 24-hour 50-pack is priced on its own page for the same number of tests. Both vials carry Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 under the same ISO reference, so the choice is about how soon the load has to go back into use, not about which vial reads more accurately. The table below puts every readout tier on one line, with the pack size its price refers to.
How do the 20-minute, 1-hour and 3-hour readouts differ in practice?
Every tier in the table uses the same spore strain in a self-contained vial, and every vial is activated after the cycle; what changes is how long it sits before the answer appears. Twenty minutes fits a single instrument set that must return to the chair in the same session, one hour covers a morning list, three hours covers an ordinary clinic day, and the 24-hour vial is read by colour change with no instrument at all. Buy the shortest readout your schedule genuinely needs — the premium is paid on every single test, all year, not only on the box.
Do you need a fluorescence reader to run the 20-minute indicator?
Yes. The 20-minute, 1-hour and 3-hour vials are fluorescence products, so the result is reported by the four-well fluorescence reader, which also holds the vials at 58 ± 2 °C; nothing on this model can be read by eye. The reader lists at $1,499.00 and is bought once, while vials are the recurring line, so comparing tiers means comparing a one-time instrument against a per-test premium. The 24-hour self-contained vial is the tier that needs no instrument, because its result is a visible colour change.
| Readout | Model | Result read by | Vials per box | Box price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 minutes | ZJ20 | CliniEco Rapid Reader | 50 | $289.99 |
| 1 hour | ZJ60 | CliniEco Rapid Reader | 50 | $269.99 |
| 3 hours | ZJ180 | CliniEco Rapid Reader | 50 | $249.99 |
| 24 hours (early read at 8 or 12 h) | ZJ1440 | Colour change, by eye | 50 | $109.99 |
| 24 hours (early read at 8 or 12 h) | ZJ1440 | Colour change, by eye | 100 | $189.00 |
| 24 hours (early read at 8 or 12 h) | ZJ1440 | Colour change, by eye | 25 | $69.99 |
A month of results is easier to file when the daily entries sit on one printable page: the sterilization log sheet is free to download, and the log generator turns a month of vials into a single record. Buying for several sterilizers or several sites? The compliance desk will work through the tier choice with you. CliniEco Medical brings this indicator into Canada as importer of record, establishment number MDEL #35334.
Each vial contains Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 spores in a self-contained format. After the sterilization cycle the vial is activated and incubated, and the result is read by fluorescence — a positive (failed) and negative (passed) result is reported by the reader, not by eye.
How it differs from our 24-hour indicator
- Readout: 20 minutes instead of 24 hours
- Reader required — this model is read on the CliniEco Rapid Reader (4-well fluorescence reader). It is not a colour-change product, so it cannot be interpreted visually.
- Same spore strain and same ISO reference as our 24-hour line, so both can sit in one monitoring programme.
Specifications
| Model | ZJ20 |
| Readout time | 20 minutes |
| Format | Self-contained vial, rapid readout (enzymatic / fluorescence) |
| Organism | Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 |
| Reference standard | ISO 11138-1 and ISO 11138-3, moist heat (per manufacturer specification) |
| Incubation | 58 ± 2 °C (use with the CliniEco Rapid Reader) |
| Pack size | 50 vials per box |
| Intended use | Routine monitoring of steam (moist heat) sterilization cycles |
| Storage | Follow the manufacturer's instructions supplied with the box; keep the vials in their original packaging and do not add any label or tape to the vial or cap |
Readout times across our biological indicator line
| Model | Readout | Result read by |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid 20 min (ZJ20) | 20 minutes | CliniEco Rapid Reader |
| Rapid 20 minutes (ZJ20) | 20 minutes | CliniEco Rapid Reader |
| Rapid 1 hour (ZJ60) | 1 hour | CliniEco Rapid Reader |
| Rapid 3 hours (ZJ180) | 3 hours | CliniEco Rapid Reader |
| 24-hour self-contained (ZJ1440) | Up to 24 hours (early read at 8 / 12 h) | Visual colour change |
Price per test, and when the 20-minute tier is worth it
Each readout tier is priced on its own box page, and the per-test figure follows there by dividing the box amount by the vial count. Against the 1-hour tier this one costs more per test; against the 3-hour tier it costs more again. Over 240 tests (two indicators per test day, 120 test days) the differences between adjacent tiers stay small enough that how fast the load has to come back decides the tier.
This is the tier for a set of instruments that has to be back in use in the same session: single-set practices, back-to-back cycles, or a morning list that cannot wait for a one-hour read. If a load can stand until the end of the day, the 3-hour or the 24-hour indicator answers the same question for less.
Who it is for
Dental clinics, medical clinics and laboratories that run daily steam sterilization and need a same-day, documented result — for example where a load cannot be released until the biological indicator reads negative.
What you need with it
- CliniEco Rapid Reader — 4-well fluorescence reader (required for this model)
- Incubation at 58 ± 2 °C
- Batch record: record the vial lot number against the sterilizer load
Documentation
Manufacturer's instructions for use are supplied with every box. A certificate of analysis per batch is available on request — the lot number on the box is traceable to the release documentation.
How to run a test
- Place the indicator in the load, in the area that is hardest to sterilize (for a typical dental load: with the instruments in the pouch or cassette).
- Run the sterilization cycle as normal.
- After the cycle, follow the vial activation step described in the manufacturer's instructions — the vial is activated, then incubated.
- Place the vial in the CliniEco Rapid Reader and incubate at 58 ± 2 °C. The reader reports the result at the readout time above.
- Record the result and the vial lot number against the sterilizer load log.
One indicator per load, every day. Do not add any label or tape to the vial or its cap — it interferes with the incubation and read.
Interpreting the result
- Negative (pass) — the spores were killed; the load may be released.
- Positive (fail) — spores survived. Do not release the load: re-clean, re-pack and re-sterilize, and check the sterilizer before using it again. Retain the indicator and the load record.
- This model is read by the reader only. Unlike our 24-hour indicator, there is no colour change to read by eye — the result must come from the reader.
Official manufacturer specifications
| Readout time | 20 minutes |
| Incubation range | 4–30 minutes |
| Organism | Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 |
| Population | ≥ 1.0 × 10⁶ c.f.u. (mean per strip) |
| D-value | ≥ 1.5 min at 121 °C (steam) |
| Test conditions | 121 °C / 132 °C / 134 °C saturated steam — vacuum and gravity cycles |
| Standards | ISO 11138-1 and ISO 11138-3 compliant (manufacturer declaration) |
| Pack size | 50 vials per pack |
| Frequency of use | One test per sterilization cycle |
| Kit contents | BI ampoules and culture media tubes |
Parameters as published by the manufacturer. Batch certificate of analysis is traceable from the lot number on the box.
Have a question about your own facility? Send it in and you will get a written answer specific to your setup, with the regulation or standard it is based on cited. Ask your compliance question.
Related tests in this BI line
- Clinic Starter Bundle — Gloves, Spore Testing & Sterilization Packaging
- CliniEco 24-Hour Biological Indicator Incubator — Precision Dry-Block, 24 Wells
- CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 1-Hour Rapid Readout, Fluorescence, 50-Pack
- CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 24-Hour Self-Contained, 100-Pack
- CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 24-Hour Self-Contained, 25-Pack
- CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 24-Hour Self-Contained, 50-Pack
- CliniEco Medical Biological Indicator — 3-Hour Rapid Readout, Fluorescence, 50-Pack
- Free Biological Indicator 5-Pack (clinics)
- CliniEco Medical Bowie-Dick Test Pack — ISO 11140-5 Type 2, Daily Vacuum Check, 6-Pack
- CliniEco Rapid Reader — 4-Well Fluorescence Biological Indicator Reader
Related articles
- 24-Hour Self-Contained Biological Indicators: Pack Sizes, Incubation and the Record
- How to Choose a Biological Indicator Incubator for a Canadian Clinic
- How Often Must US vs Canadian Clinics Run Sterilizer Testing? 24-Hour Biological Indicator Incubator Ordering
- Which Standards Apply to Medical Biological Indicator in the US vs Canada? Sizes and Sourcing
Technical Documents
Everything below is on file for this product. Download what you need; the two documents we send individually are requested by batch so that what you receive matches the box in front of you.
Manufactured by Chengdu QAMED Co., Ltd. (No.80 & 82 Jiangling Road, Xindu District, Chengdu, China; ISO 13485 certificate 280012038605752, valid to 7 March 2029). Imported and distributed in Canada under Health Canada MDEL #35334.
Common questions
How long does Biological Indicator take to give a readout?
Results are read in 20 minutes, not 24 hours.
Does it work with my autoclave cycle type?
This item is used with standard steam sterilization cycles; confirm the specific cycle against the manufacturer's instructions supplied with each lot.
Which standard does it meet?
Manufactured and tested to ISO 11138-1, ISO 11138-3 and ISO 11140-5.
How should it be stored, and how long does it keep?
Store between 15–30 °C at 30–65% relative humidity, keep away from sterilants, direct sunlight and UV, and do not crush the packaging. Shelf life is 24 months from the date of manufacture.
How often does a Canadian clinic need to run it?
In Ontario, RCDSO requires a biological indicator plus a control test, once daily for each type of cycle on every sterilizer in use — so 1 sterilizer × 20 working days = 40 indicators a month including the control. In Quebec, ODQ's PCI guidance requires weekly biological monitoring for each cycle type (daily is recommended, not required); Bowie-Dick is daily and only for pre-vacuum (Class B) cycles.
Can I read it by eye?
No. Rapid-readout models are read on the fluorescence reader.
Do I need the reader as well?
Yes — the reader is required for this model. Our 24-hour self-contained indicator does not need a reader (visual colour change).
Why choose 20 minutes over the 24-hour indicator?
When the load cannot be released until the result is known — same-day reprocessing, single-set practices, or where a 24-hour hold is operationally not possible.
Is it the same organism as the 24-hour indicator?
Yes, Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 under ISO 11138-3 — so both can be used in one monitoring programme.
Storage?
As printed on the box and in the manufacturer's instructions. Keep vials in the original packaging and do not relabel them.
