Food and environmental scientists can reduce delays caused by messy preparation and problematic inhibitors with a new master mix designed to offer fast and accurate DNA detection.

The new TaqMan Fast Environmental Master Mix Beads give scientists a freeze-dried PCR enzyme formulation optimized for enhanced real-time PCR performance and improved convenience. Designed to confront substances in samples that are highly inhibitory to PCR, the TaqMan Master Mix works across a  wide variety of sample types. The formulation yields accurate results  with a broad range of template quantities, down to samples that contain just a single copy of a target, and is ideal for highly multiplexed  assays. Because DNA samples can be added directly to the tubes of pre-aliquotted, ready-to-use reagent, the Master Mix beads can reduce preparation time and workflow processes by up to 43 percent. Once initiated, real-time PCR reactions run unassisted in a fast, 40-minute cycle.

“Labs are constantly looking for economical ways to simplify their workflow, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice the quality of their  results,” says Derek Grillo, global product manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “This product provides a solution that minimizes pipetting steps, reduces time to results, while delivering uncompromised  performance.”

The new TaqMan Master Mix achieves this as an all-in-one solution, manufactured with lyophilisation (freeze-dried) technology. This process primes researchers with a ready-to-use master mix, eliminating messy preparation and error-prone pipetting steps. The lyophilized mix occupies one-third less tube space than comparable liquid products.       Filling that saved space with a larger sample volume improves scientists’ chances of detecting particularly elusive targets.

TaqMan Fast Environmental Master Mix Beads are compliance-friendly, with a format option that includes an internal positive control that can be utilized to meet FDA, ISO or USDA PCR assay guidelines. The beads come packaged in an eight-well strip-tube format, ready to use individually or in a 96-well footprint.

For more information on the TaqMan Fast Environmental Master Mix Beads visit www.lifetechnologies.com.