Neogen test approved as confirmation method

The Official Methods status means that the assay has been proven robust enough through independent lab testing to be used as a confirmatory method for other Salmonella screening assays irrespective of manufacturer.

It follows AOAC Performance Tested Method approval in June 2012.

Neogen said the added approval for the ANSR detection system should generate additional excitement and sales because it addresses the need for a rapid confirmatory method.   

ANSR’s 30-minute method eliminates the need for traditional biochemical confirmatory procedures that can take up to 24 hours.

In-plant confirmation​

Gerry Broski, marketing director, food safety at Neogen told FoodQualityNews.com the test is easy to use and does not require much equipment or bench space.

“In-plant confirmation means that the sample does not have to be sent out for confirmation saving time, resources and money,” ​he said.

“This specific ANSR method is confirmatory meaning that the sample is taken from a presumptive positive screen.  ​

“Once a screening method has uncovered a presumptive positive, we are dealing specifically with a target Salmonella organism so background and matrix interference are minimized resulting in better performance of the assay and a higher degree of confidence.”​

The confirmatory procedure allows the user to determine if a presumptive colony on selective/differential or non-selective agar media is Salmonella, or to confirm positive results from other screening methods, including molecular methods and lateral flow devices.

AOAC’s validation study showed the system’s confirmation test procedure is effective for identification of Salmonellaspecies in colonies grown on selective or differential agar media listed in FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) and USDA’s Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG).

It proved that ANSR for Salmonella can be used as an adjunct or alternative to biochemical testing for the identification of presumptive Salmonellaspp. isolates.

Market demand​

Broski said that primary markets have been meat, poultry and the grocery products industry which require rapid definitive results to check perishable product.

He said other pathogen assays will follow as ANSR is a platform it plans to expand according to market needs.

The method is approved for food matrices including raw ground beef and turkey, chicken carcass rinse, hot dogs, oat cereal, and sponge or swab samples from stainless steel, plastic, ceramic tile, sealed concrete, and rubber environmental surfaces.

Neogen’s ANSR has AOAC approval for Listeria species with L. mono backing expected later this year.