RapidChek® SELECT Salmonella Certified by AFNOR
April 21,
2010
SDIX Food Pathogen Test Gains Third-Party Validation For European Markets
NEWARK, DE (April 21, 2010) - Strategic Diagnostics Inc., now doing business as SDIX (Nasdaq: SDIX), a leading provider of biotechnology-based products and services for a broad range of life science, biotechnology, diagnostic, and food safety applications, today announced its RapidChek® SELECT™ Salmonella test system has received AFNOR VALIDATION certification and validation as an alternative method for detecting Salmonella within 24 hours from various samples – including meat, seafood, vegetables, eggs, dairy, feed, and environmental.
This validation enables European customers who are required to follow ISO testing methods to confidently use RapidChek SELECT Salmonella, thereby benefiting from its ability to rapidly and accurately detect this dangerous food pathogen.
The AFNOR VALIDATION process is an internationally recognized European third party certification that validates alternative food testing methods according to the EN ISO 16140 protocol. The AFNOR VALIDATION mark certifies that a multi-phase validation study, by approved expert laboratories approved for AFNOR Certification, has demonstrated equivalent results between the RapidChek SELECT Salmonella system and the ISO standardized method.
The general conditions under which this mark is granted meet all of the requirements of European regulation (EC) 2073/2005 relating to the microbiological criteria applicable to foodstuffs, thereby giving it European recognition.
The RapidChek® SELECT system is an easy, accurate, flexible, and rapid food pathogen detection technology. It combines the simplicity of lateral flow test strips with SDIX’s proprietary, patented phage-based enrichment and immuno-detection tools to significantly enhance both specificity and sensitivity of testing and enable improved pathogen detection.
Tim Lawruk, SDIX Food Safety Marketing Manager, said “Improving productivity and accuracy of tests is a major goal for effective global food testing. This certification and the AFNOR mark demonstrate SDIX’s commitment to provide the global food market with superior, complete pathogen testing solutions that provide rapid and accurate results. This study represents independent, empirical data and validation to support these benefits for our customers as they continue their efforts to provide safe food to European consumers.”
Colin LeGood, SDIX Manager of Distribution and Business Development for Europe and Asia Pacific, said, “SDIX’s investment in obtaining the AFNOR VALIDATION demonstrates our commitment to serving the international food pathogen testing markets. This certification again highlights the technical capabilities of the RapidChek SELECT Salmonella system which SDIX can translate into financial advantages for the food industry.”
For more information about the RapidChek SELECT Salmonella system, visit http://www.sdix.com/foodsafety.
About AFNOR Certification and the AFNOR VALIDATION mark
AFNOR Certification, a subsidiary of AFNOR Group, is a certifying body operating according to the European standard EN 45011. The AFNOR VALIDATION mark, owned by AFNOR Group, is granted by AFNOR Certification. AFNOR VALIDATION has been registered as a European collective mark since 2005.
The aim of AFNOR VALIDATION is to certify the analytical effectiveness of alternative methods. This is a third party certification governed by certification rules, and based on a validation study done in accordance with EN ISO 16140 protocol associated to periodic controls.
About SDIX
SDIX is a biotechnology
company with a core expertise in creating better antigens, better
antibodies and better assays for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and
food safety markets. For over 20 years, SDIX has been a leading
immuno-solutions company, developing results-oriented and innovative
antibody-based solutions that enable customers to meet high performance
research, diagnostic and commercialization objectives.
In
the life science market, SDIX’s technology and capabilities are being
used to help discover disease mechanisms, facilitate development of new
drugs and provide antibodies and assays
for the diagnosis of disease. In the food safety market, SDIX continues
to expand its footprint as an international supplier of rapid pathogen
test technologies that enable more accurate and cost-effective results.
Media Contact
Media Relations
mediarelations@sdix.com
SDIX
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