New Real-time PCR Assay Offers Validated Method for Rapid Detection of Cronobacter species in Powdered Infant Formula

To help safeguard against release of infant formula contaminated with Cronobacter bacteria, which can produce fatal effects on newborn and premature babies, a new simple-to-use PCR assay enables manufacturers and their suppliers to get fast and accurate test results on powdered infant formula, with and without pro-biotics, and on manufacturing environmental process samples.

The new Thermo Scientific SureTect Cronobacter Species Real-Time PCR Assay delivers PCR results in as few as 18 hours following sample receipt. This enables infant formula manufacturers and their suppliers to process and evaluate samples quickly. The assay has been granted NF VALIDATION certification by AFNOR Certification, and can form part of a test workflow that helps customers comply with the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs.

“We are proud to be able to help our customers protect this vulnerable consumer group with a test method that is both highly accurate and fast compared to the ISO Standard method for detecting this organism,” says David Panneton, vice president commercial operations, microbiology, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The new SureTect Cronobacter Assay enables our customers to take appropriate action, including fast release of product to market, which is a primary consideration for today’s pathogen test selection.”

Thermo Fisher developed the SureTect System to detect microbial pathogens quickly and accurately in a broad range of foods and associated samples, offering food producers and contract laboratories the following:

• Quick, actionable results, with a fast, optimized single enrichment step and automatic result interpretation.
• Efficient operations, with streamlined lysis and PCR protocols that allow for the detection of multiple targets in the same run.
• Throughput flexibility, with continuous or batch processing possible for up to 120 samples in 80 minutes.
• Convenience, with pre-filled lysis tubes and tableted PCR reagents to minimize the number of pipetting steps and hands-on time.