June 17, 2009
DuPont's seafood system certified for safety
The AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI) in Gaithersburg, Md., has recently certified the BAX system from DuPont Qualicon as a Performance TestedSM Method for detecting Vibrio in many types of seafood.
Vibrio bacteria are frequently found in coastal waters and other brackish environments. The pathogenic species can cause gastrointestinal illness when eaten. The foodborne infection is typically associated with eating raw or undercooked fish and shellfish, especially oysters.
Validation studies compared the BAX system 20-hour assay to traditional culture methods, which typically take three to five days for results. Tested on shrimp, tuna, oysters and scallops, the BAX system detected three pathogenic species of Vibrio - V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus - even at very low levels.
"The BAX system now offers a suite of assays certified by AOAC-RI for detecting the most common pathogens of concern to the seafood industry," said Michael Chong, Asia Pacific business manager - DuPont Qualicon.
"Single-platform testing and fast results are a winning combination for customers who want to optimize inventory, reduce storage costs and ship quickly," Chong added.
