DuPont Nutrition & Health Releases New BAX® System Assay for Rapid Vibrio Detection

A new BAX® system assay from DuPont Nutrition & Health can be used by seafood processors and government laboratories to detect Vibrio in less than 24 hours. The BAX® system Real-Time PCR Assay for Vibrio detects even low levels of three distinct species - V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus - from the same sample.

Tested on shrimp, tuna, oysters, scallops and crab, the BAX® system delivers reliable, differentiated results in less than one day, and its performance is equivalent to or better than the reference culture method, which typically takes three to five days.

'DuPont Nutrition & Health is constantly finding ways to make food testing faster, more accurate and more convenient,' said Michael Chong, Asia Pacific business manager - DuPont Nutrition & Health. 'A 20-hour test for Vibrio will certainly improve operational efficiencies for seafood companies. And that will allow them to make product release decisions more quickly and with confidence.'

Vibrio are bacteria typically found in saltwater and unsanitary drinking water, and several species are pathogenic in humans. Consumption of contaminated raw or undercooked shellfish, such as oysters, mussels, clams and scallops, can cause foodborne illness. Open wounds that are exposed to contaminated seawater can also become infected and lead to septicemia, especially in people with liver disease. Over 180,000 people worldwide became ill from V. cholerae infections in 2007, and the current cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has already caused more than 60,000 illnesses and 3,100 deaths.

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 also detect Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Enterobacter sakazakii, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and yeast and 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.