In the healthcare field, being able to distinguish between samples is important. In the absence of labeling, a sample will surely lose its integrity, thereby leading to waste in many forms (Time, money, and physical waste).
When taking samples for cryogenic storage, everything must be done to preserve the integrity of the sample. Most importantly, the label must be able to withstand extreme frost and temperatures. This is where the use of cryogenic labels come into play.
What Are Cryo labels?
Cryo labels or cryogenic labels are labels that are specially designed to withstand cryogenic conditions. Both the face material and adhesive of a cryo label are crafted to remain intact, even when stored under an extremely cold temperature for a long time. When labels that aren’t engineered for cryogenic activities are used for that purpose, it’s possible for such labels to fall off the container.
In addition to this, you also need to consider what stages of cryo storage you want your samples to undergo. This is because most cryo labels are designed to be effective at a certain level of freezing. If the temperature dips below what it was designed for, a cryo label can lose its integrity.
Some of the stages of cry storage are:
- Deep freeze stage, about -80 C,
- Vapor phase: -120 C,
- Liquid nitrogen storage: -196 C.
Why Labels Are Important For Cryogenic Storage
In the healthcare industry, the general goal is to help patients by all means possible. This can be done either by developing a new form of treatment or carrying out a proper diagnosis on them to enable them to know which aspect of their health to focus on.
When biological samples are taken from patients, the only way to match the right samples with the right patients is through proper labeling. Labels give biological samples accurate identities. This way the tracking becomes easy. When samples lose their labels during processing, they always end up turning to waste products. And sometimes, the value of even just one sample can cost a lot of money and time.
How to Choose a Cryogenic Label
While in the process of choosing a cryogenic label, some of the things individuals need to address, include a container that is to be labeled and the level of cold storage it will be exposed to. Labels are made in different types and sizes that the owners want. Also, it is also important to take the length of cryogenic storage into consideration before creating a label for It. Long-term storage in a liquid nitrogen tank requires a more durable label solution than short-term refrigerator storage.
Another critical factor to consider when choosing a cryogenic label is the printing method. You must avoid using the wrong format of printing for cryogenic labels at all costs.
Why It Is Necessary To Choose The Right Label
As mentioned earlier, the most effective way to stop a sample from losing integrity is by choosing the right label. For cryogenic storage, this simply means going for a cryogenic-resistant label. More also, it’s also important to find out if labels can withstand other harsh exposures in your lab before getting them. If you don’t endeavor to check for this, you may end up buying a label that won’t be useful for the purpose you got it. Choosing the right label ensures proper identification of whatever samples you’re keeping in a lab.
To Print In-House Or Order Pre-Printed Labels?
When it comes to printing cryogenic labels, you can either choose to print in-house or contact a printer to do that for you. Whichever of these methods you choose to print your cryogenic label is okay, as long as it fits your budget and doesn’t stop you from attending to other important things. However, if you will be adding information that won’t be available until the time of printing to the label, you might need to print in-house. Choosing to go for pre-printed labels requires that one provides every information needed at the time of order.
Once you have decided who you want to print your cryogenic labels for you, the next thing to do is ensure that every information you supply that person is clearly stated and correct. If any error or miscommunication occurs when providing information to whoever is printing your cryogenic label, you will most likely have to pay for a reprint, depending on the agreement.
