SMT VET

30/10/2026

This month’s Mad About Micro experiment explored how Joseph Lister’s pioneering work in antiseptic surgery laid the foundation for modern disinfection and infection control.

In the 1860s, Lister introduced carbolic acid (phenol) to help prevent infections during surgery, dramatically improving patient safety. More than 150 years later, his principles continue to guide modern laboratory testing.

Inside our SMT Chemical Efficacy Hub, we demonstrated this principle using the EN 1276 disinfectant efficacy testing method, evaluating how different disinfectant concentrations affect bacterial survival under controlled conditions.

Observations from the experiment:

•⁠ ⁠Before treatment, substantial bacterial growth was observed in the control samples.
•⁠ ⁠At lower disinfectant concentrations, bacterial numbers decreased, but some organisms survived.
•⁠ ⁠As concentrations increased, bacterial growth declined further.
•⁠ ⁠At the highest concentrations tested, no surviving bacterial colonies were observed.

Key findings:

•⁠ ⁠Disinfectant effectiveness depends on concentration and contact time.
•⁠ ⁠Reducing bacterial numbers does not necessarily mean complete inactivation.
•⁠ ⁠Standardised laboratory testing provides measurable evidence of disinfectant efficacy.

Conclusion:

From Lister’s early antiseptic methods to modern EN 1276 testing, the scientific principle remains the same: preventing infection begins with controlling harmful microorganisms.

Through evidence-based chemical efficacy testing, we continue this legacy, helping industries make informed decisions about effective disinfection and contamination prevention.

Mad About Micro
Because understanding microbes changes everything.

30/10/2026

A proud academic milestone worth celebrating. 🎓

Congratulations to Mpume on completing her Master of Science in Human Nutrition through the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus.

This achievement represents three years of dedication, discipline and perseverance from 2023 to 2025, completed under the supervision of Professor M. Siwela.

Mpume, we are incredibly proud of you and all that this accomplishment represents.
Your commitment to continued learning and professional growth is an inspiration, and we look forward to seeing where this next chapter takes you.

Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement! 👏🎓

20/10/2026

Scientific discovery becomes even more powerful when it changes practice.
This month, we recognise Joseph Lister, whose pioneering work transformed approaches to infection control and helped lay the foundations for modern antiseptic practice.

Influenced by Louis Pasteur’s work on microorganisms, Lister recognised that microbes in the environment could contaminate wounds and contribute to infection. In the 1860s, he began using carbolic acid as an antiseptic during surgical treatment and introduced practices designed to reduce microbial contamination.

The results helped change thinking around surgery. Infection was no longer something that simply had to be accepted as an inevitable risk. It was something that could be actively prevented by controlling contamination.
Lister's contribution is a powerful example of how microbiological knowledge moves from discovery into application.
More than 150 years later, the methods have advanced enormously, but the principle remains fundamental across laboratories, healthcare and many other controlled environments: understand the microorganisms, control contamination, reduce risk.

Thank you, Joseph Lister, for helping turn our understanding of microbes into practices that continue to protect us today.
Mad About Micro continues next week as we explore the science of infection control and how these principles have evolved in modern microbiology.

16/10/2026

New article on LinkedIn from Dr Shirleen Coetzer.

The "Invisible Shield" & The One Health Ecosystem When we discuss this year’s World Food Day theme, "Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow," it is easy to picture the glamorous side of the food industry: high-tech vertical farms, novel alternative proteins, and revolutionary eco-packaging. But true foo...

15/10/2026

Handwashing may seem simple, but when done properly, it plays a powerful role in preventing contamination and supporting safer food handling practices.

To mark 🧼 Global Handwashing Day, Aluwani Muavhi from SMT Labs demonstrates the correct handwashing technique and reminds us that effective hygiene starts with the small steps we repeat every day.

More than 175 years after Ignaz Semmelweis demonstrated the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infection, the principle remains just as relevant.

Clean hands. Safer processes. Better prevention.

13/10/2026

Antisepsis is one of the most important breakthroughs in infection control.
Not because it treats infection, but because it helps prevent contamination from becoming infection.
Pioneered by Joseph Lister, antiseptic practice applied the emerging understanding of microorganisms to surgery. Lister introduced the use of carbolic acid to reduce microbial contamination of wounds, dressings, instruments and the surgical environment.
His work demonstrated that post-operative infection was not simply an unavoidable consequence of surgery. By controlling microorganisms, infection risk could be significantly reduced.

Those principles helped lay the foundations for modern antisepsis, aseptic practice and infection control, extending today across healthcare, laboratories, food production, veterinary environments and many other industries.
Modern infection control is supported by microbiological and efficacy testing to evaluate antimicrobial products, validate hygiene interventions and provide scientific confidence that they perform as intended.

Watch out for our Mad About Micro series each month and join us this October as we explore Joseph Lister's contribution to infection control and how the principles behind antisepsis continue to shape modern laboratories and contamination-control practices today.

09/10/2026

Get to know our SMT team! Meet Sharllot Matlala, our Lab Analyst at SMT Vet.

With 3 years of industry experience and 2 months as part of the SMT Vet team, Sharllot has already gained an appreciation for the important role collaboration plays in the laboratory. Her biggest pet peeve? People who are two-faced. She values honesty and authenticity in the people around her.
One of the most meaningful things Sharllot has learned through her work is how teamwork and patience can contribute to work that ultimately helps protect and save lives. It’s a reminder that every person and every process plays a part.

Her personal motto is: “Don’t forget who you are, no matter what happens to you or where you are.” A powerful reminder to stay grounded and true to yourself through every chapter.
Say hello to Sharllot in the comments! 👇

07/10/2026

We’re hiring! Vacancy: Laboratory Analyst
Location: Bloemfontein

We are looking for someone with:

• Diploma or degree in Microbiology, biotechnology, food technology or related field (preferred).
• 0-2 years micro laboratory experience

The purpose of this role is to perform routine laboratory testing and support daily lab operations by maintaining equipment readiness, preparing media, managing samples, recording results on LIMS, and ensuring all activities comply with Good Laboratory Practice and documented procedures.
Apply at:[email protected] and include a copy of you qualification as well as your CV
Disclaimer: SMT Labs processes personal information in line with POPIA. By applying, you consent to the use of your information for recruitment and verification purposes only.

Closing date: 9 October 2026. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application was not successful.

07/10/2026

Sometimes, understanding the invisible means changing how we prevent its spread.

In October, Mad About Micro turns to Joseph Lister, the British surgeon whose pioneering work transformed approaches to infection control and laid the foundations for modern antiseptic practice.

Inspired by Louis Pasteur’s work on microorganisms, Lister recognised that microbes in the environment could contaminate wounds and cause infection. In the 1860s, he began introducing antiseptic techniques into surgical practice, including the use of carbolic acid to disinfect wounds, instruments and dressings.

The results helped demonstrate something revolutionary for the time: infection was not simply an unavoidable consequence of surgery. By controlling microbial contamination through effective antiseptic practices, the risk of infection could be significantly reduced.

Lister’s work helped establish principles that remain fundamental to infection control today: understanding where microbial risks exist, preventing contamination and using effective methods to control harmful microorganisms.

While the tools and technologies have advanced considerably, that principle remains unchanged. Whether in healthcare, laboratories, veterinary environments or food production, effective infection and contamination control depends on science that proves what works.

This month, we explore how Lister helped turn our understanding of microorganisms into practical prevention, and how the science of controlling microbes continues to protect people, animals, products and environments today.

This is where understanding microbes changed the standard of clean.

Follow the Mad About Micro series throughout 2026 as we explore the minds, methods and moments that continue to shape modern microbiology.

Mad About Micro
Because understanding microbes changes everything.

01/10/2026

Nothing brings a team together quite like celebrating who we are and where we come from. 🇿🇦✨ SMT dressed in traditional wear for Heritage Day.

Of course, no proper South African celebration is complete without lighting up the fires, so the team caught up over a classic boerie roll. We also handed out well-deserved prizes to our absolute best-dressed individuals who took their outfits to the next level! 👑🔥

Everyone had a fantastic time connecting, laughing, and celebrating our shared heritage. Thank you to the entire SMT for bringing so much vibrant energy and pride into the lab!