Companies team up on DNA detector
products Applied Biosystems has teamed up with DuPont Qualicon to
develop a new DNA detection system.
Tougher regulatory standards and the increased reporting of food contamination in restaurants, supermarkets and processing plants has pushed companies to put a higher priority on safety, shelf lifeand cleanliness. The trend has fueled the demand for more stringent testing and tracing of food products along the supply chain to the consumer.
The new DuPont product is being developed specifically for the food industry and will be based on Applied Biosystems' TaqMan assay-basedpolymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology.
"The alliance will bring real value to our customers in food testing by translating innovative and unique DNA-based technology improvements into new applications for the food industry,"DuPont Qualicon's president Kevin Huttman.
The TaqMan assay based polymerase technology will be coupled with DuPont's BAX detection system, a test for screening food and environmental samples for pathogens or other organisms.
The new product will expand the capabilities of the BAX detection system. The two companies plan to add features such as quantitation and strain discrimination. The new BAX system will also beextended to allow food makers to detect a larger array of organisms.
The BAX system breaks down samples at the genetic level, using PCR. The automated system allows for tests of multiple targets in the same run, with up to 96 samples possible per batch.
Results are available as soon as the next day and are displayed on screen with a simple positive or negative report. The system eliminating the need for expert interpretation in most cases, DuPontclaims.
Applied Biosystems' TaqMan assays are already widely used in research laboratories. Huttman stated that the system's sensitivity andversatility makes them ideal for applications for food testing at manufacturing plants.
Mark Stevenson, president of Applied Markets division for applied biosystems said the DuPont alliance will give the company an opportunity to leverage its experience in life science research marketinto applications meant for industrial use.
Applied Biosystems is part of Applera Corp.
