NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – 3M said today that Health Canada has approved its second-generation molecular detection assay for Listeria testing in food and environmental testing.
Like all of 3M's molecular detection assays, the Listeria test uses isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescent detection, and can be applied to environmental samples and a broad range of food types, the company said.
According to 3M, the test is now included on the guide of official methods approved and used by Health Canada's Health Products and Food Branch to determine compliance with government standards and guidelines.
The firm said that the assay is the first to be approved by Health Canada for the second generation of the 3M Molecular Detection System, which offers a streamlined workflow that is 30 percent faster than first-generation assays.
Meanwhile, four other assays have been approved for its first-generation system — including a previous version of the Listeria assay and tests for Salmonella, L. Monocytogenes, and E. coli.
While the second-generation Listeria test is the only one so far released for the newest instrument, 3M said that both first- and second-generation tests can be run on the original system.