The DuPont™ BAX® System X5 PCR Assay for Listeria monocytogenes has been approved as a method extension of AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI) Performance Tested Method℠ #070202.

The certification covers the analysis of a wide variety of sample types commonly tested for this deadly pathogen, including raw and ready-to-eat meats, cheese, dairy products, seafood, fresh produce and environmental surfaces. “Listeria monocytogenes is a notable public health concern due to its ability to cause serious infection if a person ingests contaminated food. This increased concern has focused attention on the need for simple, reliable, well-validated pathogen detection methods in the food processing environment,” said Rob McPheeters, Diagnostics global business leader, DuPont Nutrition & Health. “At DuPont Diagnostics, we are proud to offer a variety of validated PCR assays to help food manufacturers, service laboratories and retailers detect L. monocytogenes and other Listeria strains with speed, accuracy and reliability in a way that best fits a company’s work flow.”

This AOAC-RI approval is the second of four validations being sought for the BAX® System X5, the latest platform for PCR-based pathogen detection available to the food industry from DuPont Nutrition & Health. The BAX® System X5 PCR Assay for Salmonella was approved by AOAC-RI in November 2015, and additional validations are in progress for PCR assays to detect E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria species.