Sample6 yesterday announced that DETECT/L™, an enrichment-free, single-shift pathogen diagnostic for Listeria species, has been awarded AOAC Certification from the AOAC Research Institute’s Performance Tested Methods (PTM) Program.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 48 million people (one in six Americans) get sick from foodborne illnesses each year, while 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. Listeria, the target of DETECT/L, has the highest mortality rate of any foodborne illness.

“OSI is committed to maintaining our high food safety and quality standards. We strive to seek and implement the most innovative and effective ways to maintain the integrity of the food we process. Sample6 offers an easy, proactive way to effectively test for pathogens and keep our products and customers safe,” notes Sharon Birkett, vice president, North American Quality and Food Protection, OSI Group.

Sample6 DETECT/L is the company’s first diagnostic assay and quickly identifies Listeria species contamination in food processing environments. It is the only in-shift, enrichment-free AOAC Listeria species assay, according to the company. Designed with a focus on rapid detection and ease of use, the entire test only takes a few minutes of hands-on time per sample and delivers results on site in less than eight hours – a single production shift.

The AOAC Research Institute bases certification on independent study results and rigorous comparison tests that verify all claims. Sample6 DETECT/L is more sensitive than the reference method, USDA Microbiological Laboratory Guide (MLG) Method 8.09, for detecting Listeria in the environment.