Neogen Corporation has received approval from AOAC International for its enhanced rapid test for E. coli O157:H7. The Reveal 2.0 for E. coli O157:H7, provides the food industry a quick, accurate and easy method of detecting this pathogen without compromising sensitivity or specificity. The AOAC´s process validated the accuracy of the Reveal 2.0 for E. coli O157:H7 system when testing food samples.

'The AOAC approval further validates our test as an invaluable tool to food producers,' said Neogen´s Ed Bradley. 'The system cuts the wait time for results and eliminates the potential for cross-reactivity with E. coli O157 non-H7 or common cross-reactors like Citrobacter.'

The Reveal 2.0 for E. coli O157:H7 system provides results in 12 to 20 hours, with only 15 minutes of test development time. The system uses Neogen´s new proprietary media which is specifically balanced for use with this end point test.

In the AOAC study, Reveal 2.0 for E. coli O157:H7 was found to be an effective procedure for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in 65 and 375 gram samples of raw ground beef and beef trim.

The testing system utilizes a new antibody sourced from the USDA and incorporates USDA-specified sample sizes with reduced media volumes for more manageable samples. Also, the test does not require a heat kill step, which reduces the time to results and sample touch time.