AOAC Approval for Assurance GDS™ 20 Hour Salmonella Method

After a collaborative study by 15 different independent industry laboratories BioControl systems Assurance GDS™ for Salmonella was approved by AOAC International as an Official Method of Analysis (2009.03) for the detection of Salmonella in meats, poultry, poultry rinse, seafood, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, egg, pasta, peanut butter and environmental surfaces.

Assurance GDS for Salmonella is a DNA-based detection method incorporating multiple layers of specificity including Immunomagnetic separation (IMS), highly specific primers, and a patented probe system to provide improved accuracy. Results are available in as few as 20 hours.

'With increasing emphasis being placed on process control as a means of improving operational efficiency and food safety, fast and accurate Salmonella detection methods validated for both food and environmental samples can offer food processors a significant advantage', states Anita Kressner, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. In addition to increased speed and accuracy, Assurance GDS for Salmonella is easy to use, requiring only a single enrichment media for most foods. 'The faster results and streamlined enrichment requirements make Assurance GDS for Salmonella an efficient and cost effective method, according to Geoff Bright Group Product Manager. 'The 18 hour, 1-step enrichment in Buffered Peptone Water for most samples allows laboratories to start samples as late as 5 pm and still have results available by the following morning, allowing for faster release of product or implementation of corrective actions' says Bright.

Assurance GDS for Salmonella has also been approved by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Certified by AFNOR in accordance with the ISO 16410 standard for validation of alternative methods and certified by AOAC Research Institute as a Performance Tested Method.

In addition to Salmonella, the Assurance GDS platform includes assays for E coli O157:H7, Shiga Toxin Genes, Listeria spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterobacter sakazakii.