AOAC-RI Approval for DuPont Nutrition & Health BAX® E.coli O157:H7

The BAX® system, a genetics-based diagnostic tool developed by DuPont Nutrition & Health, has been validated by the AOAC Research Institute as a Performance Tested method for detecting Escherichia coli O157:H7.

The AOAC Research Institute is a non-profit, international, scientific organization that administers the Performance Tested Methods program, which provides an independent, third-party assessment of proprietary analytical methods to ensure that products perform as claimed.

E. coli O157:H7 can cause illness at a very low infectious dose (as few as 10 organisms). These very low levels are often difficult to detect with traditional culture methods, especially where E. coli O157:H7 must be distinguished from a high level of competing bacteria. The AOAC-RI comparison studies validated that the DNA-based BAX® system performed as well or better than culture methods on juice, cider and raw ground beef samples. Further, the time-to-result was reduced by half on ground beef enriched with proprietary BAX® system media.

"The BAX® system allows any quality assurance laboratory to work with sophisticated technology that transforms the most advanced molecular biology concepts into the simplest, fastest food analysis method available," said Kevin Huttman, president of DuPont Nutrition & Health.

The DNA-based BAX® system detects target bacteria in raw ingredients, finished food products and environmental samples. In addition to E. coli O157:H7, assays are also available for detecting Salmonella, Enterobacter sakazakii, Listeria and L. monocytogenes. The automated system is user-friendly and fits easily onto a laboratory bench top. Available since November 2000, hundreds of BAX® systems are already in use by governments, food companies and laboratories around the world.
In addition to the BAX® system, DuPont Nutrition & Health markets the patented RiboPrinter® system, the world's only automated DNA fingerprinting instrument to track and trend bacterial contamination in pharmaceuticals, personal care products and food.