BIOTECON Diagnostics is pleased to announce that its foodproof^® Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Screening LyoKit and STEC Identification LyoKit, in combination with its extraction kit, StarPrep Three, have now received AOAC-RI Performance Tested Methods^SM (PTM) Certification (Certificate No. 102004). The rigorous evaluation, which was conducted with raw ground beef and raw beef trim, was found to meet the appropriate standard for its intended use.

The BIOTECON Diagnostics’ foodproof STEC Screening and Identification LyoKits were validated in comparison to the reference method U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Service MLG 5C.00. The STEC method successfully detected STEC in fresh raw ground beef and fresh raw beef trim after 8 and 22 ± 2 h incubation time for 25-g test portions; and after 12 and 22 ± 2 h incubation time for 375-g test portions. Furthermore, when using the modified tryptone soy broth enrichment medium, there was no need for additional antibiotics. This rapid workflow with only two PCR tests ultimately leads to cost-savings and opens up good opportunities for the food sector, especially the meat industry, to generate new sales. Finally, the STEC screening and identification method, with its open platform, is AOAC-RI PTM validated on the following cyclers: LightCycler^® 480, LightCycler 96, AriaMx, CFX96, and ABI 7500 fast, demonstrating its compatibility and versatility.