NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Life Technologies today said that it has received validation from the certification body of Association Francaise de Normalisation (AFNOR) for two molecular assays that detect the presence or absence of Listeria in food.
The company received AFNOR certification for its MicroSEQ Listeria spp and MicroSEQ Listeria monocytogenes assays. The PCR-based assays along with Life Tech's sample preparation solutions and instruments allow test results to be achieved in 24 hours, compared to four to five days required using the reference method, the company said.
AFNOR certification validates alternative methods according to the ISO standard EN/ISO 16140 and is applicable across Europe.
Life Tech said its equivalency method findings for Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes products previously received AOAC Research Institute validation for use in the US, and it now has AOAC and AFNOR validation for its "top four testing kits," including MicroSEQ Salmonella spp and MicroSEQ E. coli 0157:H7. About 90 percent of pathogens tested by the food industry are covered by the four assays.