January 26, 2007

Dupont develops fast campylobacter detection system

A new campylobacter testing system, developed by DuPont, can reduce result times from days to hours, compared to traditional methods, the UK manufacturer claims.

The new real-time campylobacter assay can produce results within two and a half hours for contaminated samples, and within two days for those requiring enrichment, the manufacturer claims.

Most current screening for campylobacter are culture-based, taking at least three days for a result and do not differentiate between species without further laboratory work.

The new assay also allows differentiation between the pathogenic species C. jejuni, C. coli and C. lari, and quantification of three campylobacter species.

DuPont Qualicon BAX system targets specific probes by measuring fluorescence. The BAX system is simple and testing is straight-forward and requires no additional equipment, the manufacturer claims.

UK's Food Standards Agency strategic plan for 2005 - 2010 includes a commitment to achieve a 50 percent reduction chickens testing positive for campylobacter by 2010.