Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostic products, has announced that NF Validation (AFNOR) has approved the extension of certification of the iQ-Check™ Listeria spp. and iQ-Check™ Listeria monocytogenes Kits for the real-time PCR detection of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in food products for human consumption and in environmental samples with a short enrichment protocol using Listeria Special Broth II (LSB II).

The new shortened protocol uses LSB II, a next-generation enrichment broth designed specifically to resuscitate Listeria, reducing both enrichment and overall time to results in less than 24 hr. In comparison to the reference method, ISO 11290-1, the protocol demonstrated excellent results following evaluation for sensitivity, relative level of detection, inclusivity, and exclusivity.

NF Validation is an international certification organization for the validation and approval of alternative methods for the microbiological analysis of food and beverages. The technical protocol and result interpretation for this study were carried out according to the ISO-16140-2/ADM1:2024 and AFNOR technical rules.

The iQ-Check Listeria spp. and iQ-Check Listeria monocytogenes LSB II enrichment short protocol methods are also approved by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Listeria are gram-positive bacteria responsible for listeriosis, a serious infection especially harmful for pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Primarily found in soil, water, and animal products, accurate detection of contamination in both food and environmental samples is critical in ensuring the production of safe consumables.

The certificates are available at bio-rad.com/validations.

For more information on Bio-Rad’s complete range of iQ-Check Real-Time PCR Test Kits, click here