New Test to Detect Enterobacter sakazakii in Infant Formulas, Dry Dairy and Soy Ingredients

Thermo Scientific is pleased to announce that a new PCR assay for the DuPont Qualicon BAX® system is now available. The assay detects Enterobacter sakazakii in infant formula, dry dairy and soy ingredients and is now available from Thermo Scientific in Europe and Australia.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified Enterobacter sakazakii as an emerging foodborne pathogen that can cause sepsis, meningitis, or necrotizing enterocolitis in newborn infants, particularly premature infants or other infants with weakened immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Enterobacter sakazakii is a rare cause of invasive disease in newborns but in cases where meningitis occurs, severe neurologic complications are common and death occurs in 33- 80 percent of cases.

The FDA reports that over the last several years, investigations of several outbreaks of Enterobacter sakazakii infection occurring in neonatal intensive care units worldwide have shown the outbreak to be associated with milk-based powdered infant formulas. Since powdered formulas are not sterile products, they could contain opportunistic bacteria, such as Enterobacter sakazakii.

DuPont Qualicon collaborated with the Nestlé Research Centers in Switzerland and the United States to develop a PCR-based assay for rapid detection of Enterobacter sakazakii in food and environmental samples. The new BAX® system test provides reliable next-day results, even on samples with low levels of contamination.

The BAX® system is a breakthrough screening method that provides reliable, DNA-based detection of target bacteria in raw ingredients, finished food products and environmental samples. The automated system, which takes little space and looks like a desktop computer, has been available since November 2000. Hundreds of BAX® systems already are in use by governments, food companies and laboratories around the world for the detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria spp and E.coli O157:H7.

For more information please contact Carlene Simmons, Thermo Scientific
T: +44 (0) 1256 841144
F: +44 (0) 1256 329728
E: leslie.bissell@thermofisher.com.