December 3, 2013

 

Neogen introduces NeoFilm^™ test for microbiological detection

 

Neogen Corporation, a developer of products dedicated to food safety, has introduced NeoFilm^™, a new test system for the detection and quantification of microbiological organisms in environmental samples, process material and finished product.

 

NeoFilm™ microbial tests require diluted samples to be inoculated on thin films before incubation. Following incubation, the sample pad is evaluated for bacterial colony growth. Colonies can be easily identified due to chromogenic reagents within each test.

 

"Our simple NeoFilm tests represent the perfect complement to our product line of six other distinct microbial testing families," said James Herbert, Neogen's chief executive officer and chairman.

 

According to Herbert, the global market for convenient microbial tests, such as NeoFilm, has been estimated to be in excess of US$100 million annually.

 

"NeoFilm is designed with the user in mind and offers advantages, such as greater visual clarity and easy enumeration," said Ed Bradley, Neogen's vice president of food safety.

 

He added that the test films are color coded for better identification, and the required incubation time is printed on the test, in order to simplify the procedure for a technician. The film also contains information such as test types, lot number and expiration date.

 

Bradley explained that the advanced design of NeoFilm streamlines workflow by allowing test films to be stacked as they are inoculated, thus creating valuable bench space and eliminating wait time between inoculation and incubation. The non-woven fabric film can absorb and hold one millilitre of sample solution, thus eliminating the need to define a test window.

 

In addition, NeoFilm does not require a spreader, gelling or set-up time, making the test more user-friendly.