PathogenDx, a Scottsdale, AZ tech company that has developed a DNA-based pathogen testing platform, is partnering with Prevenio, a provider of automated food processing and pathogen protection systems, to provide the first-ever closed-loop system to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.

The two companies are coming together to find solutions that will enable food producers to identify and eradicate harmful pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. The companies hope that their partnership will lead to a more rapid and effective food safety system.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in every 5 foodborne illnesses come from eating contaminated fresh produce. This makes it vital that contaminated products are kept out of the food supply chain.

The partnership will merge PathogenDx’s technological ability to deliver same-day food contact surface evaluations with Prevenio’s automated food processing and pathogen protection systems.

John Meccia, President, and CEO of Prevenio had this to say about their partnership with PathogenDx, “When combined, our unique technologies represent a leading-edge model of food safety that encompasses rapid detection and pinpoint intervention.  Instead of working backward from the point of harm, producers and regulators can now adopt more forward-looking, preventative food safety processes.”

This collaboration comes after PathogenDx’s announced its partnership with the U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to study the effectiveness of its microarray testing technology in identifying foodborne pathogens throughout the food supply chain

PathogenDx says that its mission “is to become the new standard in DNA-based testing through widespread adoption of its advanced microarray testing platform for the human diagnostics, food and agricultural industries.”

Prevenio is a food safety company located in Bridgewater, NJ. They are a leader in providing automated food processing solutions with pathogen protection that significantly enhance food safety for its clients and their customers in the protein and produce markets.