Health Canada Approval for Assurance GDS® E. coli O157:H7 Tq

BioControl Systems, Inc. has received Health Canada approval (MFLP-16) for Assurance GDS® E. coli O157:H7 Tq. During the required validation study, Assurance GDS was found to perform comparable to the regulatory reference methods for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in Raw Meat Products, as well as fruit juices, leafy greens, and sprout process water.

The Assurance GDS pathogen detection platform offers many advantages to food producers and testing labs. The proprietary IMS-based sample preparation procedure captures and separates E. coli O157:H7 from the enrichment to help prevent inhibition associated with other molecular detection methods. Assurance GDS PCR technology provides two additional levels of specificity through the use of both highly specific primers and probes to ensure accurate detection of E. coli O157:H7. The Assurance GDS Tq assays include ready to use Amplification Tubes containing all of the necessary PCR components, including the TAQ polymerase, eliminating the need to prepare and dispense this critical reagent separately. 'Eliminating the need to handle the polymerase enzyme as a separate reagent is helping our customers improve their operational efficiencies, a crucial part of running a successful testing lab', says Lyssa Sakaley, Product Manager at BioControl. 'The new Tq format reduces the number of touch-points for the Assurance GDS assays not only saving time and labor, but also helping to minimize any opportunities for errors, something all labs can appreciate', explains Sakaley.

In addition to E. coli O157:H7, the Assurance GDS platform includes assays for Shiga Toxin Genes, Top 6 and 7 STEC, Salmonella, Listeria spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter. Assays have been validated by a variety of 3rd parties including AOAC, AFNOR, MicroVal, and Health Canada, as well as, several multinational food manufacturing companies.