BAX® System 24E Assays Certified by AFNOR

Two new PCR assays from DuPont Nutrition & Health have received AFNOR certification as alternative methods for detecting Listeria and Listeria monocytogenes.

These BAX® system 24E assays, developed in collaboration with Oxoid, Ltd., use optimized enrichment media to provide next-day test results from food and environmental samples.

AFNOR Certification is an internationally recognized European system that validates 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 demonstrated equivalent results between the alternative test method and the traditional standardized method. This certification meets all the requirements of European regulation 2073/2005 relating to microbiological criteria applicable to food.

'Our goal is to help food companies improve their productivity and profitability with fast, accurate diagnostic tests,' said Doris Engesser-Sudlow, EMEA business leader for DuPont Nutrition & Health. 'The AFNOR VALIDATION mark provides another level of highly credible assurance that they can use the BAX® system for quick, convenient and reliable results.'

Food processing companies around the world rely on the BAX® system to detect pathogens or other organisms in raw ingredients, finished products and environmental samples. The automated system uses leading-edge technology, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, tableted reagents and optimized media, to detect Salmonella, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Cronobacter (Enterobacter) sakazakii, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and yeast & mold. With certifications and regulatory approvals in the Americas, Asia and Europe, the BAX® system is recognized globally as the most advanced pathogen testing system available to food companies.