Q Laboratories Evaluates Food Safety Testing Capabilities of PathoGenetix Bacterial Strain Typing System
Woburn, MA (PRWEB) March 31, 2014 -- PathoGenetix, Inc., developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial strain typing, has signed an agreement with independent contract testing laboratory, Q Laboratories, Inc., to conduct an independent evaluation of its RESOLUTION™ Microbial Genotyping System. Q Laboratories will begin testing the RESOLUTION System in its Cincinnati, Ohio laboratory next week, and provide feedback on ease-of-use, speed and performance in food safety testing.
The RESOLUTION Microbial Genotyping System is based on PathoGenetix’s proprietary Genome Sequence Scanning™ (GSS™) technology, a breakthrough in microbial identification with significant advantages for food safety testing. GSS works directly from complex mixtures such as enriched food samples, and automates the identification process from sample preparation to final result to provide actionable information in just five hours, days faster than identification methods currently in use in the food industry.
Q Laboratories will evaluate the molecular serotyping and strain typing capabilities of the RESOLUTION System in comparison to current, standard cultural identification methods. Identifying the bacterial strain contaminating a food production facility or causing foodborne illness is a critical step in defining the extent of the contamination and finding its original source. The ability of the RESOLUTION System to derive useful pathogen strain and serotype information directly from a complex mixture, and to shorten the time for pathogen typing to just five hours, would allow for quicker decisions by food companies and public health agencies investigating foodborne contamination and illness outbreaks.
David Goins, President of Q Laboratories said, “We are pleased to contribute to the development of the RESOLUTION System with this on-site evaluation. We are committed to our ongoing contributions to the food safety industry through research of new and emerging technologies. This aligns with our primary goal to provide our customers with quick turnaround time of high-quality test results. The potential to automate bacterial strain typing directly from enrichment could serve as a powerful tool for rapid response to a contamination event.”
Q Laboratories, Inc. participated in PathoGenetix’s RESOLUTION Customer Experience Program in November, where it received an initial in-depth, hands-on review of the GSS technology. PathoGenetix’s first round of evaluations for the RESOLUTION System has focused on leading contract testing laboratories serving the food safety industry. Many food producers worldwide rely on these third party laboratories for all or part of their food quality and safety testing programs.
“We are extremely pleased to be conducting onsite evaluations of the RESOLUTION Systems by highly experienced, industry-leading food contract testing labs such as Q Laboratories,” said John Czajka, PhD, PathoGenetix’s Vice President of Business Development. “These evaluations are demonstrating the speed and accuracy of the RESOLUTION System, and providing key end-user feedback on its fit and function within high-volume laboratory workflows.”
Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently begun a nine month lease of RESOLUTION System to evaluate the System for use in public health foodborne illness outbreak investigation and response as part of a three year collaboration between the FDA and PathoGenetix.
About PathoGenetix™, Inc.
PathoGenetix, Inc., is a commercial-stage developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial identification from complex samples. PathoGenetix is a venture-backed company that has received more than $50 million in technology development funding from the Department of Homeland Security. The company’s core Genome Sequence Scanning™ (GSS™) technology isolates and analyzes DNA directly from an enriched biological sample—without the need for a cultured isolate—and provides results in just five hours, days faster than current methods. GSS has broad applicability in food safety, industrial microbiology, public health and research. The first commercial GSS system will be available in 2014 for use in food safety testing and foodborne illness outbreak investigations. Learn more at http://www.pathogenetix.com.
About Q Laboratories, Inc.
Q Laboratories offers comprehensive microbiology and chemistry product analysis and research and development services to the food, food Ingredients/flavorings, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, OTC, health and beauty care, and dietary supplement industries. An independent laboratory based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Q Laboratories combines state-of-the-art technology with personal service and attention to meet their clients’ testing and quality assurance needs. Learn more at http://www.qlaboratories.com.
Mary Hawkins, PathoGenetix, Inc., http://www.pathogenetix.com, +1 802-291-0663, [email protected]
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