Waltham, MA-based PerkinElmer Inc. has a new tool for food processors who are on the lookout for E. coli  O157.  The kit is designed for rapid results and to ensure those results are released as soon as possible to support food safety efforts related to beef and its short shelf life.

“The way Solus Pathogen System works is our automation solution. It’s very tailored to high throughput and this is why ‘Solus ONE E.coli’ is very beneficial for large meat processors who are taking in daily samples and need a system that can churn out results with high sensitivity.

“PCR is our main competitor methodology and they can only average 70-80 results per automation. So ‘ONE E.coli’ is now competing on sensitivity and beating on sample throughput, which therefore leads to being more cost-efficient with the amount of labor and having an impact on cost per sample,” PerkinElmer developers told Food Safety News.

The new testing kit is a development of Solus E.coli ELISA (results in 16 hours) which has other matrices available.  “Why it benefits retailers who use food testing laboratories is that  DS2 can run two protocols. You can test 96 samples for ‘Solus ONE E.coli’ and 96 samples for ‘Solus ONE Salmonella,’ for example. Promoting efficiency with highly sensitive results,” according to the developers.

“So to summarize, we developed ELISA technology that now is sensitive to be equivalent or higher as PCR for those accurate results. Combined with our automation, from an economic point of view, our system is the most cost-efficient system on the market while delivering accurate results”

The Solus ONE E.coli O157 Pathogen Detection Assay is for both raw ground beef and raw beef trim. The system is designed for customers who receive a high volume of food samples daily and need a highly sensitive, cost-effective assay. The assay is compatible with the Dynex DS2 automated reader, offering industry-leading result sample volume.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is bacteria commonly found as part of the normal gut flora of humans and animals. Most are harmless; however, some strains — including the most common E. coli O157 — produce toxins that can cause intestinal illness especially in people in higher-risk categories such as pregnant women, immunosuppressed people, the elderly and children. Having robust and accurate E. coli testing capabilities enables food suppliers to take action faster if the pathogen is detected in their facilities.

PerkinElmer’s “Solus ONE E.coli” system features a single, 10-hour enrichment, one-step sample preparation, and automated workflow to process up to 192 tests per run. The user-friendly instrument, kits, and methods also require less training than traditional approaches for lab technicians, enabling them to “set it and forget it” for up to two hours, freeing their time to conduct other lab work such as running another automated protocol to maximize sample throughput.

“E. coli O157 is important and requires scientific expertise to provide solutions that food processors and contract labs can trust,” said Greg Sears, Vice President and general manager of food at PerkinElmer. “With our new high throughput offering, we can help food processors stay ahead of the constant E. coli testing cycle by streamlining their testing workflows and increasing productivity while helping to protect consumer safety in the global food chain.”

PerkinElmer’s meat testing and analysis innovations are part of the company’s broader safety and quality solutions for food, including grain, dairy, meats, produce, edible oils, and seafood.

about PerkinElmer
PerkinElmer enables scientists, researchers, and clinicians to address their most critical challenges across science and healthcare. It is strategically a partner with customers to enable earlier and more accurate insights supported by deep market knowledge and technical expertise. It has a  team of about 14,000 employees worldwide.