Pall GeneDisc® System First AOAC Validated Test For Non-O157 STEC In Food

Pall Corporation
25 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, New York 11050
toll free phone: 1-800-521-1520
fax: 516-801-9754
email: genedisc@pall.com
website: http://www.pall.com/biopharm_53215.asp

Pall Corporation announced today that its GeneDisc Rapid Microbiology system has been validated by the AOAC Research Institute for detection of non-O157 STEC in meat. This validation from one of the world's leading standards organizations is expected to enable more effective monitoring of the food supply for pathogenic E. coli contamination, a common cause of foodborne illness.

Recent legislation directs the Food & Drug Administration to build a new system for food oversight focused on applying the best available science to prevent consumer illness. This technology from Pall provides the meat industry a new tool to help ensure the safety of its products.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates at least 70,000 Americans are sickened as a direct result of E. coli infection and its complications annually. A recent study reports over $3.4B is spent annually on food safety testing.

Pall's product is the first to receive AOAC's multiparametric validation of a detection method for four serogroups of the most common non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in ground beef and beef trim. The Pall GeneDisc Rapid Microbiology system enables producers to test simultaneously for the pathogenic E. coli O157 and four of the top six non-O157 STEC (O26, O103, O111, O145) that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identifies as key targets in its new laboratory guidance (MLG 5B.00).

Sharon Brunelle, technical consultant for AOAC Research Institute, stated: "This is the first time that AOAC-RI has validated a method for the detection and identification of several of the major STEC serogroups and shows again the responsiveness of AOAC-RI in the face of rapidly evolving food safety issues."

"Meat processors now have an independently validated, extremely easy-to-use and fast test method to better ensure that their raw materials and final products are microbiologically safe, and ready for market," said Jonathan Pratt, President, Pall Food and Beverage.

The Pall GeneDisc system is based on real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology. The system features an exceptionally robust PCR platform utilizing ready-to-use consumables. The system and test procedure yields consistently repeatable results and virtually eliminates operator error. It provides data on the presence or absence of multiple pathogens in as little as 3 hours, as opposed to the days required by traditional methods. It is an ideal solution for food manufacturers who need fast and specific detection of potential health risks with the least amount of false positives.

Whether Pall GeneDisc batch release tests are performed in-house or at partner service labs, rapid results are available prior to product release, helping manufacturers avoid recalls and improving their compliance with new USDA standards outlined in the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act.

Pall Corporation also announced that it completed the AOAC-PTM validation of its Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 methods simultaneously with the non-O157 STEC method.