Neogen expands tests and services to target food safety
NeoSEEK is targeted at the growing concern of economic adulteration and food fraud and complements test kits designed for use in processing facilities.
Neogen has offered meat species identification services for European customers from Ayr, Scotland for years, but has seen a spike in interest in North America related to the horse meat scandal in Europe.
Meanwhile, the firm claims its expanded Soleris microbial detection system now includes an assay to detect Alicyclobacillus in 48 hours in beverages and raw materials.
The optical assay measures microbial growth by monitoring factors such as pH that generate a colour change as microorganisms in the broth grow and metabolize with results displayed by colour-coded monitoring with an alert on samples out of specification.
Meat species identification
NeoSEEK meat species identification service detects adulteration at levels of 0.1% or 1% of mislabeled horse, pig, poultry, beef or sheep meat.
Quantitative results that show the percentage of adulterant in a raw or cooked meat sample are available at its facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Neogen’s on-site meat species identification tests include F.A.S.T. (Food Analyte Screening Tests), which are immunostick assays that provide visual results in about 30 minutes.
NeoSEEK utilizes a DNA-based assay featuring specialized PCR technology to deliver quantitative results of adulteration in test samples.
“Our on-site tests are the quickest path for most processors, but we understand that not all processors have the facilities and personnel to do their own meat species identification testing,” said Neogen’s Joe Heinzelmann.
“Food processors can use this convenient service to verify the integrity of their supply chains or support certificate of analysis data to protect their customers from the adulteration of meat products with undeclared animal meats.”
Rapid optical method
Neogen’s Soleris assay expands its line of tests available for use with its microbial detection system.
Soleris Direct Alicyclobacillus (ACB) media vials detect microbial contamination in filterable and non-filterable beverage product in 48 hours, compared to traditional testing methods that can require five days.
The ACB assay can be used to test large sample sizes for increased sensitivity and is designed to allow processors to detect contamination in fruit juice, sweeteners, syrups and other beverages.
Alicyclobacillus genus is aerobic, spore-forming, thermo-acidophilic bacilli found in fresh and pasteurized products. The spores of this bacterium are very heat resistant, and can survive the pasteurization process to cause flavour spoilage of acidic products and beverages.
Rob Soule, from Neogen, said: “The Soleris system is probably the most effective testing tool available for contamination because after the initial incubation period…[it] will detect microbial presence in products that other methods are too slow to detect or will miss completely.
“Soleris will detect process deviations much faster and at less expense than other methods. The combination of faster results, sensitivity and low cost allows for efficient aseptic process monitoring.”
