Thermo Fisher Scientific this week launched the SureTect PCR system for food pathogen detection.
The SureTect System combines the company's Piko real-time PCR system with bespoke software and prefilled reagent components that, together with a single PCR protocol for a range of common targets and sample types, streamline the test workflow.
With the new system, results for all targets and matrix types can be obtained in less than 24 hours of the food sample being received, Thermo said.
Assays for Salmonella species and Listeria monocytogenes are available now. Assays for Listeria species and Escherichia coli O157:H7 will be released toward the end of the first quarter and additional tests are in development.
IntegenX said this week that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Scientific Analytical Tools Trading to distribute IntegenX's RapidHit 200 human DNA identification system in the Middle East.
Under the agreement, SAT will lead all sales, marketing, and service functions for the RapidHit 200 in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The RapidHIT 200 platform is a cartridge-based, automated, sample-to-answer instrument. The system performs bead-based cell lysis and DNA purification followed by industry-standard amplification using a Promega Powerplex 16HS kit, which produces data that is compatible with CODIS in the US; or a Promega ESI kit for compatibility with the European STR analysis format.
DuPont said this week that its real-time PCR assay for Salmonella detection on the company's BAX system has been certified as performance-tested method No. 081201 by the AOAC Research Institute.
The AOAC Research Institute is a non-profit organization that provides independent, third-party assessment of proprietary analytical methods to ensure product performance.
Validation of this BAX system assay found it to be an effective method to detect Salmonella in raw ground beef, chicken rinses, cream cheese, bagged lettuce, dry pet food, and on stainless steel surfaces.
3M Food Safety this week said that its 3M Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella has received an extension of the current NF Validation from Afnor Certification.
The Paris-based Afnor Certification expert committee found 3M's assay to be as or more effective than standard methods for detecting Salmonella spp. in seafood and vegetable products as well as in environmental samples taken from food processing sites.
This follows Afnor Certification's validation in December of the assay's efficacy finding Salmonella spp. in egg, meat, and dairy products. Based on these two sets of data, the certification is now granted for all food categories and environmental products, 3M said.
3M's Molecular Detection System uses isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection technologies to amplify and detect nucleic acid in enriched food and food process samples.